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I despise government interference in the details of our daily lives. We already have too regulations on our behavior. Twenty new laws won't make live better or really solve the basic problem. Some things simply should be left to individuals to choose for themselves.

That said, some things are simply too dangerous to be left in the hands of amateurs. Yes, I'm talking about you, Mr. and Mrs. American Driver. You aren't nearly as good at driving as you think you are.

You make poor decisions, react too slowly and are too easily distracted.

Most of us who have been driving at least five years have logged enough miles that we no longer even treat it as a conscious activity. We can start the car, drive to school or work and park without a single conscious decision.

That's why so many people use their cell phones while driving. We think we aren't actually engaged in a real activity so our brains are free to pursue other activities.

This isn't a new driving phenomenon. Before calling from the car we used to see people shaving, eating and putting on makeup while driving. A large percentage of daylight accidents are DWD (Driving While Distracted) accidents.

If people gave any thought to the dangers associated with driving and the hazard posed by their conveyance, they take it more seriously.

In Physics, Force is defined as Mass times Acceleration or, mass times velocity squared. That means the heavier an object is, the more energy it carries. The faster an object moves, the faster its energy increases EXPONENTIALLY!

Few people would want to be hit by a 250 linebacker running at full speed. But no one bats an eye at driving a TON of machine at speeds approaching 100 mph! We do this daily with a few feet of clearance around obstacles with less than a half second of reaction time.

And people are now doing it while chatting or texting. How long does it take to shift you focus from a tiny screen two feet away to the rapidly approaching cement wall beyond the windshield?

What amazes me is how often I see the driver talking or texting while the passenger sits there with nothing to do and no control over the vehicle and thus their fate.

Personally, if my driver started texting while driving they'd have to drop me off. You wouldn't let a drunk drive you home, would you. A distracted driver has a similar driving profile (swerving and poor control) as an inebriated driver.

Laws banning this behavior are needed because;

- Drivers are daily demonstrating a lack of restraint and control while using their phones,

- And the hazard to the rest of the population is too great.

We do not allow drunk or drug altered driving, we shouldn't allow drivers to continue to risk others lives for what are most likely trivial calls that can wait.

Learn more about this author, Morgan Johnson.
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