President Obama banned text messaging while driving for all federal workers yesterday. Good.

I wish the government would choose a broader term than “text messaging”, however. The ban encompasses e-mail on phones as well, and also futzing with a GPS while driving (which I am certainly guilty of). From the order itself:

(b) “Texting” or “Text Messaging” means reading from or entering data into any handheld or other electronic device, including for the purpose of SMS texting, e-mailing, instant messaging, obtaining navigational information, or engaging in any other form of electronic data retrieval or electronic data communication.

I wish the White House chose a broader term than “text messaging,” though. Most people hear “text messaging” and think – well, text messaging – and may decide the ban does not cover other text input or activities that draw the eyes away from the road. Obtaining navigational information is certainly not text messaging.

And if I wanted to get really nitpicky – isn’t tuning your radio a form of electronic data retrieval? Hmmmm. OK, probably not. Though I bet finding that one song on my iPod is.

The New York Times has an article today about the risks of distracted driving. What is amazing about this is that everyone knows talking/texting while driving on a cell phone is bad for you, yet some of us continue to do it.

“We’ve spent billions on air bags, antilock brakes, better steering, safer cars and roads, but the number of fatalities has remained constant,” said David Strayer, a psychology professor at the University of Utah and a leading researcher in the field of distracted driving.

“Our return on investment for those billions is zero,” he added. “And that’s because we’re using devices in our cars.”

The article looks at driving research from one of the world’s experts – David Strayer from the University of Utah, and it takes a look at the policy side of things, too. This is an excellent example of where cognitive psychology research intersects with public policy. Why is it so hard to put down the phone?

Others cite more fundamental reasons to block any such legislation. “To me, the death of freedom is far worse than the risk of talking on the phone while driving,” said Carl Wimmer, a state representative in Salt Lake City who successfully fought a bill this year to ban talking while driving. “Why pick on cellphones?” he asked, noting that distraction comes in many forms. “You can’t legislate against stupidity.”

Exactly. We should repeal the ban on drunken driving while we’re at it, too. Ugh.

But not all cell phone ban opponents are as stupid as Carl Wimmer. Some actually make a reasonable point.

“I should pay attention to the road,” [19-year old University of Utah student Anne McLaren] said afterward. But sometimes it’s hard to ignore the phone, she added, like when her parents want to reach her. “My dad gets more mad if I don’t have the phone than if I’m talking and driving.”

And many parents can attest to that.