They brake for texting

South Carolina's texting drivers may have avoided the long arm of the law for another year, but nationally the effort to ban the hazardous practice continues to gain steam. It's hard for most states to ignore the rising evidence of the dangers of texting behind the wheel.

Delaware recently became the 30th state to pass a ban on texting while driving. So far, eight states restrict motorists from using hand-held cell phones -- an activity that has been compared to drunken driving in its effect on safety.

Don't count South Carolina in either number. Previous efforts to limit cell phone use by drivers have died, and this year the Senate ended the session without voting on a House proposal to ban texting by motorists.

Meanwhile, a Washington-based lobbying group recently abandoned a plan to ward off new restrictions to cell phone use at the federal level and instead to support an initiative to oppose "distracted driving." The coalition known as DRIVE (Drivers for Responsible, Innovation and Vehicle Education) died aborning after the idea was assailed by Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

So America will also be spared another tortured acronym.

Following Mr. LaHood's criticism, the lobbying firm beat a hasty retreat with this statement, reported by McClatchy News: "We are pleased that the concept has met its goal of expanding dialogue on distracted driving, therefore the proposed coalition is no longer being pursued."

Drivers need to focus their attention on the road, since distracted drivers are four times more likely to have an accident, according to the Natonal Safety Council.

And cell phone use, including texting, has demonstrable dangers, particularly for teen drivers. One study has determined that texting requires drivers to take their eyes off the road 80 percent of the time.

Hopefully, it won't take some horrific accident to remind the Legislature next session why texting should be banned for South Carolina motorists.