Once again the government of several states have discovered something we need to be protected from... this time it is texting while driving.
A little insight... drunk driving laws, seat belt laws, child seat laws, air bags, cell phone and now texting (it's really the same thing!) laws, are all courtesy of your friendly insurance industry. The same with bicycle helmet laws and most other laws that are in place to protect us, the truth is they are to protect the insurance industry's profits and give the government more control over your basic liberties. The tell tale signature of the insurance industry is that they associate the activity with drunken driving. Because we all know how dangerous DWI/DUI is since MADD has been telling us about it for 2 decades. And where do you think the major funding for MADD came from?
But there is no need to legislate against texting while driving; there are already distracted driving laws and careless and reckless driving laws on the books. If you're swerving in traffic the police have reason to stop you, if you cross the line while texting and don't signal it is an unsafe lane change, if you have an accident because you are texting it is careless or even reckless driving.
The most telling and frightening part of the published study is that 89% of the respondents said that they think the government needs to pass laws against texting and driving, while 66% admit to reading messages and 57% admit to ending them. I find it amazing that 66% of the people surveyed lack the basic self discipline to put down the damn phone while they are driving after admitting it is a dangerous act, but I am astonished that they feel that they need the government to pass a law to control them and prevent them from doing it.
The reason that we are losing our basic liberties to the state is not so much that they pass laws to curtail our freedom without our consent but rather because many people lack the personal responsibility to control their own actions and have to ask the government to be their mommy to tell everyone not to do it. Even those of us capable of identifying a dangerous act and exercising the self discipline to not do it.
Every time we allow (or ask!) the government to enact a law to protect us we are giving up another basic liberty and the state gains just a little more control over our personal lives. Why do we need more restrictive laws, why can't adults be expected to exercise personal responsibility and not do stupid and dangerous things?
Be a responsible adult... just say NO to the nanny state!
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