Time's up for gabby drivers

The countdown is on and wheels are in motion to eliminate "DUI-C," driving while under the influence of cellphones.

A new law limiting the use of cellphones in motor vehicles goes into effect July 1. Starting Tuesday, adult drivers caught using a phone without a hands-free device can be cited. Teen drivers under 18 aren't permitted to talk into a cellphone under any circumstances (unless it's an emergency), and that especially means no more texting behind the wheel.

The fine for a first offense is $20, but to be an effective deterrent the amount probably should have been made higher. One other troubling aspect of the new law is that text messages sent by adult drivers will still be allowed, although strongly discouraged.

All things considered, the new law will go a long way toward preventing unnecessary accidents and their deadly consequences. (Motor vehicle collisions have become the leading cause of death in America among 16- to 20-year-olds.)

For years, the cellphone opposition movement was all talk and no action- despite proof that people who held a cellphone while operating a vehicle were more likely to get into an crash than those who didn't. With one hand removed from the steering wheel and concentration that had been compromised, these gabby drivers were seen as a danger to themselves and others.

As a driver, have you ever been involved in a deep conversation with a passenger and the next thing you know, you've missed your turnoff?

We hope our deputies will be proactive in enforcing the new law, although catching people in the act of "DUI-C" might be difficult. One Highway Patrol officer told The Acorn he doubts there will be full compliance in the beginning.

If you see a driver holding a cellphone to their ear, don't be a vigilante and do something irrational. But at least give 'em the evil eye.

People, please put down those cellphones and get back to the business of driving. Negotiating our crowded streets and highways is difficult enough. Cellphones only make it harder.