John Olson's commentary "Dexter the Texter" is right on the money and should be common sense to Texas lawmakers.
John Olson's blog from November 27, 2012, addresses a common problem that everyone, except for probably our great grandfather, is aware of:  texting and driving.  Mr. Olson's blog should be commended for including appropriate links to current articles addressing the issue and state government plans to extend a texting ban across Texas. 

But that will not go far enough.  A ban on cell phone use for phone calls, gps navigation, and texting should be passed state wide with stiff fines that are incrementally increased with each successive ticket.  This allows law enforcement to make an easy judgement call and write a citation.  If your phone is in your hand while driving then no more excuses that you were making a phone call as opposed to texting. 

I have been working as a paramedic across central Texas for nine years and the incidence of creative excuses have increased.  When I am transferring care to a helicopter flight crew to fly a patient with bilateral femur fractures to University Hospital of Brackenridge, it is hard to believe the driver of the vehicle at fault who states:  "Oh, I knocked my soda over" or "I looked down to change my CD" or "A dog ran out into the street".  The sheriff's department, State Troopers, and EMS personnel on scene are pretty sure what really happened:  "If it quacks like a duck, then it was probably a duck texting."

LOL.