Don't Drive Distracted

Many of us believe we are capable while driving of a quick glance at our smartphones or perhaps even typing a short reply to a text without being a danger to ourselves and others on the road. It’s the other drivers who aren’t capable of multi-tasking, right? Nothing could be further from the truth, and distracted driving has become a deadly enough problem that Ohio lawmakers are considering trying to do more about it.

According to a report by WJW-Cleveland, Ohio State Highway Patrol reports show since 2013, there have been 100,000 distracted driving crashes.

But right now, the law is aimed at teenagers, and adult drivers must commit another offense before being pulled over.

State Reps. Brian Lampton and Cindy Abrams have introduced a bill that would make using a handheld phone a primary offense for adults.

Some lawmakers have said they are not fans of giving law enforcement officers another reason to pull over drivers. And there is good reason to be concerned. Perhaps that is also why the new law would require police to report the race of those they pull over to cite.

The bottom line, however, is that if such a change in law can also help change people’s minds about driving distracted, lawmakers should give it serious consideration. In the meantime, it should not take a law to force drivers to use common sense about driving distracted.

No one’s life is worth a text. To borrow from a recent public service campaign, it can wait.