Today, California and Washington became the fifth and sixth states to ban talking on a cell phone while driving. Kind of.

 

Both states will let people talk on cell phones if they use a hands free device. You can use one of those stupid ear pieces that people wear like a fashion accessory that demonstrates your own importance. Or you could use an onboard Bluetooth system factory installed in a car.

 

These new laws will simply let people crash their cars with both hands on the wheel.

 

It doesn't really matter why you're distracted, you're still more dangerous in that 4,000 pound car moving at 75 mph. And if you think you're a 'really good driver,' my guess is you're not.

 

Here's the deal: Talking on cell phones should be banned completely while driving. Study after study has shown that driving while distracted is the No. 1 cause of accidents. Here's the copy of a recent report by Nationwide that suggests three-quarters of all drivers are by the technology in their car.

 

I realize no state will show the courage to pass a law banning cell phone use while driving, but every state should. Even better would be for people to show restraint and turn their phones off when they get in their car.

 

It's easier to return a call when you arrive at a location than kill yourself while talking to your friend - or worse, kill someone else.

 

Driving a car should not be given the same attention as the phone, that cheeseburger and that eye liner.

 

No one needs to be connected to the entire world all the time. Say what you will, but, really, you don't. Reading your blackberry, or responding to a note while behind the wheel is purely selfish. It's bad enough some people glance down at some hand held device during face-to-face meetings (something I hate), but it's the ultimate in self-important behavior to do that while driving. It simply means you think killing someone else is not as important as reading an email from that long lost Nigerian relative.

 

When I drive and my phone rings, my conversation sounds like this:

 

'Hi, I'm driving. Ok, I'll call you back in a few minutes.'

 

If it's important, I pull over and call the person back. If it's not, and most of them are not, I call them when I finish driving.

 

And that's if I answer the phone at all.

 

My suggestion, hang up and drive. Enjoy some tunes or a baseball game, relax and try to do one thing well instead of 10 things badly.