This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
What do cell phones, food, eyelash curlers and radios have in common? They distract you while you're driving. This plain and simple thought is often overlooked. Because of the horrendous accidents and laws involving texting and driving, people try their best to resist using their phones while driving. But they can easily put all their attention to tuning the radio, eating food, and attending to personal grooming.
Watching a driver next to you try to shave and keep his car out of your lane on the freeway belies how focused drivers should be. The solution is as simple as the answer to texting and driving: Put it down. A person's life is much more valuable than your piece of pizza or your mascara. If you're not smart enough to realize that you are endangering the lives of other people and yourself.
Put all distractions away, no matter how delicious they are, or how beautiful you want to look, and drive down the road like a normal, focused person.
Will Ryan
Salt Lake City