Disconnected from reality

Inexperienced teenage drivers are allowed to change the radio, talk to passengers and style their hair, but once a cell phone is added to the mix, their capacity for multi-tasking ends, say Virginia legislators.\nThe Virginia Senate Transportation Committee recently approved a bill that would prohibit drivers under 18 years of age from talking on cell phones at the wheel. Apparently, the committee deems only those 18 and older as capable of operating a motor vehicle while discussing who's going to pick up Billy from soccer practice on a mobile phone.\nSenator Patricia Ticer, D-Alexandria, suggested that the committee consider legislation restricting adults to using only hands-free devices. Enforcing restrictions on adults as well as teenagers would be an improvement on the proposed law because cell phones distract all drivers, regardless of age.\nGranted, cell phones are one of the more dangerous in-car distractions. Researchers from the University of Utah Department of Psychology found that the response time of drivers using cell phones was much slower than when listening to the radio or an audiobook. Because there is a limited capacity of human attention, talking on the phone distracts drivers' attention from their visual environment.\nSenator William C. Mims, R-Loudoun, proposed the bill that would restrict teen cell phone use on the road. The proposal was combined with another bill aimed at enforcing tighter restrictions on teenage drivers, such as limiting the number of passengers under 18 and prohibiting teens from driving late at night. \nVirginia legislators clearly have the citizens' best interests at heart, but they're taking an easy shot at teenagers who cannot vote. The real danger of cell phones on the road is neglected when the law does not prohibit everyone's use. According to the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, cell phone use by drivers is said to cause an estimated 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries per year.\nRegardless of an increased maturity level that comes with age, a driver will still be distracted by phone conversations. Even the most distinguished legislator's brain will be in two places at once while talking on the phone and navigating interstate traffic.\nThe objective of the proposed law is to make the roads safer by keeping the most inexperienced drivers from diverting their attention to the latest gossip on their cell phones. But drawing a distinction between 17- and 18-year-olds is not the most effective way to prevent accidents and make Virginia roads safer.\nCutting down on teen cell phone use in the car is a good idea, but focusing solely on one age group isn't a real-world solution. Devoting legislation to only a tiny piece of the driver safety puzzle is a small step. If politicians are trying to save lives, all cell phone use should be examined. We urge policy makers to analyze safety issues comprehensively, rather than look for easy answers just to get a bill passed with their names on it.