In 2010, there were nearly 14,000 crashes in Pennsylvania where distracted driving played a role.
A total of 68 people died in those crashes.
That's more than reason enough to have the distracted driving law that went into effect in Pennsylvania last week.
Police can now pull over motorists for using an interactive wireless communication device to send, read or write a text-based message. The law covers cellphones, personal digital assistants, a portable or mobile computer and future technology.
We realize that this law will be somewhat difficult to completely enforce.
After all, the motorist has to drive by police and they have to be close enough to observe the texting.
Our hope is that the mere presence of the law will raise consciousness about the dangers of driving while texting and serve as something of a deterrent.
In a perfect world, people would just get a heightened awareness about how dangerous texting while driving is.
Let's face it, when seat belts became the law, not everybody paid attention and tragedies from accidents involving people not wearing seat belts continue.
But there are fewer of those tragedies than there used to be and the percentage of people wearing seat belts has risen substantially.
We can't not have a ban on texting while driving because it will be difficult for police to enforce.
Let's start by having such a law and beginning to put a curb on a dangerous habit before it grows into an out-of-control highway menace.
