It seems very odd to me that the Department of Transportation (DOT) would announce an initiative to spend $1.2B to standardize real-time traffic reports on cell phones on the same day that NHTSA announces support for a new group to combat distracted driving (including issues associated with cognitive distractions and talking on a cell phone.)  According to a recent article, the DOT has significant funds from the gas tax earmarked for non-construction related projects -- but is this really the best use of the funds. 

What do you think? 

Maybe these monies could be added to the Rockefeller's safe driving bill to incent states to improve their safe driving laws.  Today, just by coincidence, Highway Safety Advocates also published their annual report reviewing each state's current safe driving laws (ranging from text messaging, graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs and ignition-interlock laws for drunk-driving offenders).  The group based this analysis on a set of 15 model laws Advocates evaluated in its 2010 Roadmap Report on State Highway Safety Laws.

Obviously distracted driving is a very important topic -- that once again seems to have gotten lost in the Washington bureaucracy.