The California State Senate narrowly passed a bill (PDF) to ban use of cell phones by drivers unless they are using hands free devices. The bill will now go to the Assembly for passage. Is this really something we need our legislators spending time on? What other activities while driving will they ban? How about eating? How about changing the radio dial? Talking to passengers? Putting on makeup? Ok, yeah, maybe that last one.

Seriously, isn’t it the distraction of concentrating on something completely outside the task of driving that is dangerous? So, will it really help to only ban handheld devices?