Was that text message *really* that important?

On Jan. 14, a Caldwell teenager died during a three-vehicle crash on the interstate just east of Mountain Home. Initial reports from the Idaho State Police indicate she was using her cell phone to send or receive a text message shortly before her car collided with a semi.

While it's unlikely that the state police will ever directly link the crash to that text message, it does pose some very strong questions on whether or not Taylor Sauer's death was preventable.

Unfortunately, crashes like this are not uncommon. Just a quick search of the national news headlines last week showed at least one fatal crash involving a driver on a cell phone in just the past 24 hours.

And there's more. The stories of drivers distracted by their cell phones have reached ridiculous proportions in recent months. Case in point: Police are now pulling over drivers for using two -- yes, we said two -- cell phones at the same time. This, of course, begs the question of how they were able to safely control their vehicles, let alone keep their eyes on the road.

Whether this trend continues depends on the success of laws in a majority of states that prohibit drivers from texting or talking on their cell phones. Currently, 35 states have laws on the books that make it illegal.

Idaho may be the next.

Currently under consideration by the Idaho legislature are two amendments to state law that would, with a few exceptions, ban drivers from using cell phones while they're behind the wheel. The bills before the state senate would prohibit drivers from making or receiving calls in addition to prohibiting them from sending or answering text messages. However, it still allows drivers to use a hands-free device to chat.

Two years ago, a similar measure before the state legislature failed to pass despite a majority of support from lawmakers due to a procedural move in the Idaho House of Representatives that would've required a two-thirds majority vote to pass.

While it lacked the support in the Idaho legislature, the measure has overwhelming support from state residents. Results of a recent survey from the Oregon and Idaho American Automotive Association showed that 87 percent of the 400 people polled supported a ban on texting while driving. Support for a similar measure that would prohibit drivers from talking on their cell phone received support from about 79 percent of those surveyed.

Laws like this are already in place at military installations like Mountain Home Air Force Base. Simply put, if you're the one driving on base, there's no phone in your hand, period.

In town, it's less specific. While there are laws on the books dealing with inattentive driving, it doesn't specify cell phone use.

Despite the merits of the state's proposed laws, the measures do raise a few questions. The first deals with enforcement.

Simply put, it's pretty easy to spot someone talking on a cell phone -- the hand raised to their ear is pretty much a dead giveaway. However, it's not as easy to catch someone sending or receiving a text message since they can keep the phone out of plain sight.

The next question deals with deterrence and whether a $50 fine ($100 for a repeat offense) will serve as an effective tool. Simply put, does the convenience of cell phones and the lure of instant messaging outweigh common sense?

Then there are people that are obsessed with their cell phones. Don't believe us? Just watch someone's reaction when their phone buzzes or dings. See how long it takes for them to stop everything they're doing to check their phone.

Ultimately, both bills before the state legislature are a good start to helping curb the rising trend of accidents linked to distracted and inattentive drivers here and across the state.

While these laws couldn't save the life of Taylor Sauer, perhaps they'll help save the life of someone else.

-- Brian S. Orban