We always knew New Mexico drivers were bad, but I never thought I’d be encouraging them to take a lesson from New Yorkers.
But Tuesday the New York State Assembly approved a measure that would make New York the first state to ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving.
Anyone who has navigated nightmarish Albuquerque traffic should understand that hand-held cell phone conversations and driving blend about as well as gasoline and a match. It obviously is a fatal equation.
How many near misses does it take for a community to respond and understand that cell phones are real distractions on the road? When given the option between saving a few seconds and saving a life, surely you would choose to save a life.
New York state legislators took a lot of heat from opposition, who claim that not enough research has been done to warrant such a hand-held cell phone ban.
Tell that to a West Virginia mother who lost her two-year-old son in a car accident because another driver was too busy trying to pick up a call on his cell phone.
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Tell that to supermodel Niki Taylor, who remains hospitalized following a high-profile accident in April. The driver acknowledges he was reaching for his phone at the time of the crash.
New Mexicans are known for reckless driving. Everyone believes they are invincible and don’t act until a serious problems hits close to home. This time we shouldn’t wait until our friends and family become victims of accidents caused by someone arrogant enough to believe they are so important that the world would stop if they didn’t answer their cell phone.
--Iliana Lim¢n
Editor in chief
