In 2003, Washington D.C., had more per capita murders than any city in America with 500,000 or more people. In response to this, the city council has focused all their efforts on... [are you ready for this?] banning cell phones. The Washington Post reports that starting in July, all drivers caught chatting on cell phones without a hands free kit will face $100 fines. The ban comes in spite of evidence that shows popular driving activities like eating, changing the radio station, and talking to passengers lead to more accidents than talking on cell phones. The ban passed 12-1, and if the pleasure police have their way, it is only the beginning.

Jonathan Adkins, spokesman for the publicly funded Governors Highway Safety Association, said his organization fears that drivers will think it is acceptable to make cellular calls with a hands-free device, such as an earpiece.

"We want drivers to get the message that they shouldn't use a cell at all while driving," Adkins said. "We're also a little concerned that we do not want other states to take the momentum to do this type of thing. There's really not a lot of research to show that it's going to be effective."

Although Adkins doesn't support the ban, we aren't exactly on the same side. It sounds as if he thinks the ban doesn't go far enough, and the fact that he claims there isn't enough research probably has something to do with him working for a publicly funded research organization.

Personally, I see the ban as unnecessary. Distracted driving is already illegal, and police have plenty of latitude to ticket drivers who are creating a public hazard. For the record, I have used a hands-free kit in my car for several years now, however I will admit that I routinely drive with only one hand on the wheel.