Most people have seen a lot of careless driving that makes them question how some drivers got their licenses.

Most have glanced at a driver passing by to see him or her yakking away on his or her cell phone, making it seem as though driving is his or her second priority.

Using cell phones while driving is distracting and dangerous. A law limiting the use of cell phones causes more drivers to pay attention and be safer.

For drivers, any distraction is bad. They’re operating a heavy piece of machinery and during a second of not looking at the road, a car could stop in front of them, or a child could run into the street that could cause an accident.

Cell phones are a preventable distraction. An article in USA Today cited researchers at the University of Utah who have found someone talking on a cell phone while driving can be more dangerous than someone who exceeds the legal blood-alcohol level for most states (.08 percent).

The number of accidents was higher and the reaction time was slower for sober people using a cell phone. Besides being distracted when using a cell phone, the process of dialing a number also diverts attention from the road.

If there is a law preventing hand- held cell phones, it will at least make more people keep both hands on the steering wheel, and limit some people from using cell phones altogether.

If people won’t turn cell phones off for the safety of themselves or others, maybe a ticket will cause them to hang up.