According to the LA Times
Citing a fistful of studies that show teenagers among the most distracted and dangerous of drivers, the state Assembly on Monday passed a bill that would prohibit drivers under the age of 18 from using a cellphone, pager, text-messaging device or laptop while driving.
Ohh the humanity! Kids won't be able to use laptops while driving! They will be missing out on important AIM conversations, facebook messages, and new pictures of their friends posing shirtless by their cars on MySpace.
This is an abomination of law. These policy makers clearly have no idea that kids these days are more able to multi-task than them. After all how do you think they can carry on 18 conversations at once on their instant messenger? According to the Myth Busters cell phones can clearly impact your driving but they never showed anything about using a laptop while driving!
According to David the local Human Factors Expert
I certainly think this is a step in the right direction but it is no where near as encompassing as it needs to be. A few years ago there was a cell phone advocate for one of the carriers who stated "If we are going to remove two way communication devices from the passenger car, we might as well remove all distractions. In fact just the other day my mother-in-law was driving to a friends house with a soufflé in the front passenger seat, she came upon a stop sign and had to break abruptly, since she had to lean over to grab the soufflé she rear ended the car in front of her. Its about high time we put a ban on manipulating soufflé's while driving". This argument is not only sound but it addresses the millionths (0.00001) of deaths each year due to culinary in the cockpit.
Everyone should call their congressperson and make sure this ridiculous law doesn't pass!
(This post doesn't make any sense whatsoever?! haha...)
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I was writing a short piece on texting in cars. Turns out that some 89% of a Harris Interactive survey population feel texting is as distracting as drinking, and ought to be banned. And 66+% have used a cell phone or transmitted text messages in their cars.
Screw it. Have all cars built with a cell phone suppressor, such as is coming into use in swanky restaurants. Or just legislate against "distracting behaviours" behind the wheel, which would allow people struck by morons on their cell phones to claim compensation from the idiot responsible.
Drive now, talk later!
Posted by: Metro | August 30, 2007 3:32 PM
You may be surprised at the number of teens who do text, email, and (yes!) use their laptops when driving their cars, especially out here in SF.
Personally, I wish they stopped people from eating and driving...
Posted by: Leigh | August 30, 2007 7:48 PM
It doesn't help that my cell phone has Google maps search on it...and a program that can identify a [popular] song on the radio by holding up the phone to the speaker for a sample...how am I supposed to drive without these things?!
Posted by: Sandra | August 30, 2007 8:41 PM
Was I the only teen who refused to answer the phone while in the car? It still freaks me out- when someone shoved a cell phone to my ear while driving once, I could barely pay attention to the road!
That souffle is making me really hungry.
Posted by: Hazard | August 31, 2007 2:22 AM
Wait what? This isn't a ridiculous law! Doing ANYTHING else while driving can severely inhibit your reaction time.
Posted by: Crystallia | November 18, 2009 6:23 AM
I can't tell if you're being serious or joking. I've seen the way kids these days drive. If you ask me there should be a head restraint that keeps them from being able to turn their eyes anywhere but straight ahead on the road. Well, maybe not that severe :)
Posted by: Laptop User | November 26, 2009 10:18 PM