EudoraNews.com

Last week, a bill was reviewed in a Kansas Senate committee that would fine drivers sending or reading a text message up to $500 and sentence them to as much as a month in jail. Meanwhile, a bill introduced in the Kansas House will place a $100 fine on the activity.

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but it appears stupidity births much legislation.

It doesn’t take a refresher course in driver’s education to understand any activity that takes a driver’s hands from the steering wheel, eyes from the road and mind from the task at hard is foolhardy. Studies have shown the much less distracting talking on a cell phone behind the wheel to be as hazardous as drinking and driving.

No, the legislation won’t put an end to the texting while driving, but a steep fine and strict enforcement combined with escalating consequences to repeat offenders should get the message through to all but the the self-absorbed or self-important that the activity is unacceptable.

The proposed legislation would at least make violators aware of the hazard and place greater liability on those who forego common sense.

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