While I agree with the danger of distracted driving, I wonder some time if we know what that really is. Is a driver holding a cell phone while driving, talking to someone on the device, any more distracted than a driver with a hands-free phone talking while driving? If it's "hands on the wheel" we want, is a driver with a cell phone talking on it worse than a driver with a cup of coffee, or some article of food (sandwich, fries, you-name-it)? If it's focus on the driving that's key, is a driver on a hands-free call better or worse than a driver with a passenger that is engaged in a conversation? What about a driver with a cup of coffee and a passenger, talking about yesterday's game? Is that better or worse than a driver with a phone in a conversation? What is it that makes the driver "distracted?" I ask because a few years ago I was rear-ended by a woman when I stopped at a traffic signal and when I looked in the rear view mirror I saw her looking into the back seat to see what her child was doing. She plowed into me, never seeing the light was red and I was stopped. Fortunately it was slow speed, so no injuries, but she was "distracted" with no cell phone, no food, nothing but her baby. Should we outlaw babies in cars because they are distracting to the driver?
Now I do readily admit that idiots on phones are usually horrible drivers, and that accidents are more likely in that scenario, but I do wonder sometimes how the laws should be crafted. Is texting bad but setting the temperature on the touch screen of the vehicle ok?
And just as a side note: If we want people to "focus" on the task at hand, why do we let airline pilots talk on the radio when flying an airplane? Or cops to talk on the radio when they are driving?
What makes it different?
BTW, not intending to start a war here, just some ruminations about the definition of "distracted."