“The federal government yesterday banned texting for commercial bus and truck drivers as part of an effort to combat traffic deaths stemming from distracted motorists. Violators may be subject to civil or criminal penalties of as much as $2,750, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in Washington. LaHood has made the issue a priority after more than 5,800 people died in 2008 in accidents in which driver distraction was cited in the crash report. Last fall, President Obama banned the nation’s almost 3 million federal employees from texting while driving on the job.” [editor’s note: The ultimate inanity of this is that ANY law had to be passed to outlaw such utter stupidity! TEXTING is far too distracting an activity to be engaged in while driving a vehicle! - SAT] [additional editor’s note: A law didn’t “have” to be passed. Stupid people will still text while driving even with a law and non-stupid people wouldn’t text while driving even absent a law. The purposes of the law are revenue enhancement and promotion of the image of government as “in control of things” - TLK] (01/27/10)