’Bout time.
But it’s not enough.
The problem isn’t smartphones. It’s distractions. And they can come in the form of unruly children, putting on the morning mascara or digging around for that CD stashed underneath the front seat.
Or, even, reading the daily paper.
The state Legislature should consider this the beginning of a larger project. If you want to make Alabama’s streets safer, then make them less distracted.
Sure, it’s nuts to think Alabama will ban billboards and car stereos. But the least it can do is increase drivers’-education requirements and redouble efforts to teach teenage drivers that it’s not cool to multitask with their buddies while cruising home from school.
When it comes to safety, every little bit counts.
