by KYW's vice president and general manager David Yadgaroff

Distracted drivers and the accidents they cause are nothing new.  But the new distractions created by evolving technology are.

We now have texting, iPod scrolling, e-mail checking on Blackberries -- the list gets longer by the day, and accidents mount.

And so, while a bill to ban handheld cell phone use while driving takes a nap in  Harrisburg, a pair of city councilmen want action for Philadelphia. Remember, the city was way ahead of the state in getting a smoking ban.

But however well intentioned the proposed “Philadelphia only” distracted driving bill is, it will likely face legal gridlock. It would also add to the confusion caused by a patchwork of laws that leave gaping holes and puzzled drivers across a large state.

City Council, Mayor Nutter, and the Philadelphia legislative delegation would be better advised to get behind efforts in Harrisburg to move a cell phone bill being pressed by state representative Josh Shapiro (D-Montgomery County). It would be uniform across the state and more easily enforced. 

New Jersey has already passed a distracted driving law. So have four other states including heavily populated New York and California. Residents there don’t seem to be fleeing to Canada because of it.

To submit a comment or reply to this editorial, send an e-mail to yadgaroff@KYW.com.