Views on News • November 19th, 2008

Hang up and drive

by Chris Lato

Waupaca County is the first in the state to restrict cell-phone use while driving to hands-free units only.

Do we really need another law like this on the books? How about enforcing the inattentive driving law?

One problem with Waupaca County’s action this is that they stick out like a sore thumb. How are travelers supposed to know that the law of the land in one county changes to something else once they cross the county line?

Which means…get ready for a similar statewide law soon. I have no idea how long it will take to get that passed, but I imagine several counties will pass similar bans in the meantime while the wheels in Madison start turning.

Anyone taking bets on how long this will take to go statewide? Will it be done by the end of 2009? Bluetooth sales are about to explode in the Wisconsin market.

And really, legislation like this is perfect for politicos to get a lot of ink and TV face time. It may be useless duplication of existing laws, but it’s also a slam-dunk that won’t get much protest - similar to smoking bans that essentially take that pesky decision out of the hands of business owners themselves.

Restricting cell-phone use while driving a ‘hot topic’ that is easily digestible in ten-second sound bites on the ten-o’clock TV news. This is a story built for such coverage.

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