The Meaning of Names

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I know that Washington, DC, is a different place, a place where words have currency but not meaning. For example, what do you think the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is supposed to do? Make our highways safer, right? Well, this mission is only applicable if our dear legislators say it is. Witness the latest example.

It's been long known that using a cell phone while driving is not a good idea. That's what NHTSA tried to determine back in 2003. They proposed and began a long term study of 10,000 drivers to get at the facts. They did a ton of research which supported the thesis. But, someone at NHTSA or its overseer, the Transportation Department, decided that the conclusions would upset Congress. So, the study was not published. The research notes, however, have been published by the NY Times.

Would cellphone use while driving be as prevalent if the study had been allowed to be finished and the public made aware of the problem? We'll never know.