Samantha Power urges U.N. to fight texting while driving

Apparently being saddled with a number of geopolitical crises wasn't enough for the United Nations; now the global body wants to solve our texting and driving problem, too. The U.N. General Assembly held a session yesterday calling for global laws to fight the dangerous behavior.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power is cosponsoring a "comprehensive resolution on road safety." More than one million people die every year in motor accidents, most of them caused by "driver behavior" — like texting. "Too many drivers simply don't understand the danger of taking their eyes, even briefly, from the road. And while drinking is episodic, the use of hand-held devices is chronic. No one should die — or kill — because of a text message," she said.

It's unclear how a "push for such bans will fare," argues The Weekly Standard, since driving is chaotic in less developed countries. But, perhaps a law like Maryland's, in which strict penalties are enforced for those found causing an accident while texting and driving, could be a template.

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