Hands-free ban 

"The proper solution here is education, not regulation. During driver training education, teenagers and other new drivers need to be taught the importance of keeping both hands on the wheel and their eyes pointed straight ahead at the road." -- Adam Thierer in Technology Liberation Front

Bzzzt! Sorry. Not quite right, but thanks for playing.

I don't think the advocacy group is going to get anywhere in its push to switch off onboard electronics while vehicles are in motion. There's way too much money to be made in on-the-go devices. But Adam's solution isn't as proper as he thinks. Distracted driving causes most accidents but a driver's hands and eyes are only a part of the dynamic. It's really about paying attention. It's where your head is that makes the difference.

In its story, the Washington Post quotes University of Utah researcher David Strayer, but the article would have been better if the reporter had mentioned one of the consequential findings from his simulation studies: that activities like talking on the phone uses up processing power in the part of the brain that pays attention to what's happening on the road.

Also it's not just teens who need the training. I'm 52, so that means my drivers ed class in high school was 36 years ago. If Mr. Whateverhisnamewas taught me some aphorism, I'm sure I've forgotten it as surely as I've forgotten his name. It is true that teens and cellphones don't mix, but it's due to lack of experience in handling the car that causes them not to be able to juggle a phone and a coffee cup while also shifting down into second and making a left turn across four lanes into the c-store.

For experienced drivers, it's a whole different problem. We're so practiced that we think we don't have to think about what we're doing while driving. How often have you gone 20 miles down a familiar stretch of road, then suddenly realize it was all done almost subconsciously. It's too bad most adults never take defensive driving classes unless they've committed violations, because the courses do help to remind drivers that they should stay aware of what they're doing when they get on the road.

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