Life goes on without texting while driving

I'm part of the Y Generation. I grew up with eight-bit Nintendo and saw it evolve into 3D masterpieces of gaming technology. I know firsthand how dependent we've all become on cell phones, carrying them everywhere and being expected to by employers as well, clinging to them as if our lives depended on them.

I had a Hotmail account at 11 years old and see firsthand the addictions of e-mail, instant messaging, social networking sites, blogging and, of course, texting. I get it, I'm part of the club: The Y Gen club, aka, The Techies.

But prohibiting texting while driving is a no-brainer. It makes sense. It makes me wonder why it's a new concept. I've read a few articles about the "bold" new Illinois law that Governor Quinn supported, and I've heard some pushback from, in particular, the Y generation folks. Friends of mine, as a matter of fact. Those techies.

Seriously, is this really a big deal or a problem? What text is so important that you can't afford to wait until you're not traveling 70 miles per hour on a highway? What friend can't wait an extra 15 minutes for you to get home? I'm just as technologically dependent as the next person, and I love multi-tasking more than most, but there's a line for everything, and texting while driving crosses it.

It's hard enough to avoid accidents on perfect weather days with no construction and all attention on the road. Don't make one inevitable by texting while driving. Remember, it's not just your driving that causes accidents. Whether this law is easily enforceable or not, it just doesn't make sense to test it. Trust me, that friend will understand. That message will wait. Life will go on. And it may not if we text while driving.

Justin Lee

Lombard