According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), marijuana, also called cannabis or pot, can have some of the same effects on the brain and body that alcohol does. The active chemical cannabis is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC. When marijuana is smoked, THC passes quickly from the lungs to the bloodstream, and is then carried to the brain, and other organs in the body.

Once THC reaches the brain, it induces marijuana intoxication, or the “high” that is the goal for many who smoke pot. Similar to alcohol intoxication, marijuana can cause impaired coordination, difficulty thinking, impaired problem solving, and distorted perceptions. Studies have shown that chronic users may suffer from the negative effects on learning and memory for days, or even weeks after actually using the drug. Because of this, people who smoke pot on a daily basis may not function at optimal levels.

This is a concern for many people who say that too-high levels of THC in the body can impair a person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle. Some feel that driving while stoned is tantamount to drunk driving, and puts not just the driver, but everyone else on the road in danger.

Under current law, drivers who are stopped on suspicion of being impaired by alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs must submit to a blood test, or have their license suspended. While there is a legal limit for alcohol intoxication, there is not any standard for marijuana intoxication. The proposed legislation would create that standard, and allow law enforcement officers to better gauge whether someone is too impaired to drive if they are under the influence of marijuana. In addition, it would make it easier to determine fault in a car accident if marijuana is involved.

As you might expect, those in favor of legalizing marijuana are not very happy about the proposed driving while stoned limitations. Conversely, law enforcement officials would welcome the change. Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson says current statistics show that some form of marijuana appears in eight percent of all accidents involving impaired drivers killed in Colorado.

Colorado still has a way to go before the issues surrounding the legalization of marijuana, and its potential effects on drivers, are resolved.

Don’t run

That may sound easier said than done, but it can save your life. Most people’s instinct when confronted by a mountain lion will be to turn and run. That is the worst possible reaction. Cougars stalk their prey silently, but will give chase if the creature they consider to be their prey runs. A mountain lion can reach speeds of 35 to 40 miles an hour, easily outrunning the average human. If you discover you’re being stalked by a mountain lion, the first thing to do is back away slowly — don’t run.

Talk to it

Mountain lions’ usual prey is deer. A hunt and kill situation between the cat and a deer is usually going to be silent, with neither animal making much noise, the panther because it’s a silent stalker, and the deer because it’s usually killed so quickly, it doesn’t have time to verbalize. When facing a stalking mountain lion, talk to it in a firm, but calm voice. Don’t yell or scream. A panic reaction may provoke it to attack. It doesn’t really matter what you say, just speak in an authoritative voice as you’re backing away.

Change your appearance

If a mountain lion begins stalking you, it’s because it thinks you look like prey it can conquer. Try dissuading it by appearing larger than you are. If you’re wearing a jacket, hold it open, away from your body. If you’re not wearing a jacket, raise your arms over your head. If you can’t appear larger, you can try to look taller. You can also try lifting nearby objects such as large rocks or branches, but only if they’re easily within reach. Don’t bend down to pick anything up. That’s practically an invitation to the mountain lion to pounce on you.

Throw things

If the lion continues to behave aggressively, and doesn’t show signs of backing down or leaving, throw anything you may have handy at it. This may be rocks or sticks, but don’t hesitate to throw personal belongings such as a cell phone, binoculars, water bottle, or anything else you can easily lob at the cat. A cell phone or binoculars can always be replaced — you can’t. If you’re hiking and carrying a backpack, try to hold onto that for a couple of reasons. First, it will make you appear larger than you are, and second, if you’re actually wearing it on your back, it can offer you some protection if the cat does come after your despite your best efforts to deter it.

Fight back

If none of the aforementioned tactics works, and the mountain lion attacks you, fight back with everything you’ve got. Try to keep your footing. If you get knocked down, try your best to immediately get back up. Cougars can grow to be six feet long, and weigh an average of 130 pounds. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that you may be able to fight it off. In addition, because mountain lions silently stalk their prey, and usually jump down onto it from a higher position, they’re used to having the tactical advantage, and killing their prey quickly and fairly easily. They’re not expecting a fight. If you fight back, the cat may come to the conclusion that you’re not worth the trouble and give up.

Above all, keep your wits about you when venturing into the wilderness. Remember, you’re entering the mountain lion’s habitat when you hike into the woods. Be aware of your surroundings, and avoid hiking after dark. Cats are nocturnal, including mountain lions, and that’s when they do most of their hunting. In addition, if a cougar does wander into your neighborhood, don’t try to drive it away or catch it yourself. Call animal control, stay inside, and bring your pets inside with you. If you’re caught outside in that situation, remember these tips to keep yourself safe until professional help arrives.

The man, whose name has not been released, made a controlled fire in a fire pit on his property sometime before September 6. Afterward, he doused the pit with water, and stirred the ashes to put out the fire, which is exactly the procedure to follow. He did everything right. But then it got windy. The wind gusts reignited the remaining embers, and blew them out of the pit, starting the wildfire that is now being called one of the worst in Colorado history. Add to this that there has been little rain in the area since the end of July. The dry grass easily caught fire, and the fire quickly got out of control. Sadly, the firefighter also lost his home in the resulting fire.

Wildfires are one of the most common natural disasters that can occur in Colorado. The wide open spaces full of tall grasses, combined with long periods of warm, dry weather and wind make the area prime for burning. You may not be able to stop a Colorado wildfire, or any other natural disaster that may put you and your loved ones in danger. But there are some things you can do now to protect your family, your pets, and your home.

Follow instructions

First and foremost, if a wildfire begins to encroach upon your neighborhood and you are ordered to evacuate, don’t hesitate. Get out. Don’t try to pack suitcases, water down your lawn or your house, or make calls to family and friends to let them know what’s happening. By the time an evacuation order is given, the danger is immediate, and there is little time to do anything but clear the area. Once out of your home, follow the instructions of police and other authorities to get to safety.

Protect important documents

That said, you can have a plan in place in case you ever do need to evacuate. Keep important documents such as birth certificates, passports, marriage licenses, car titles, and other similar papers in a small, easily portable, fireproof safe. Then keep the safe easily accessible, in a hall closet, for example. This way, if you are ordered to evacuate, you can grab the safe on your way out the door, and not have to worry about replacing all your important papers later on.

In addition, if you don’t have time to grab the safe, or you forget to take it with you, your papers may still be salvageable, even if your house does get caught in the path of the blaze. Just remember to keep the safe locked at all times, not only for security reasons, but if your house does catch fire and the safe falls or is hit by falling objects and it’s not locked, the lid can easily come open, thereby destroying all your papers anyway.

Be ready to evacuate your pets too

No one wants to leave a beloved family pet behind in a disaster. It was well documented during Hurricane Katrina that people who were not allowed to bring their pets with them on evacuation buses suffered higher rates of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While some pets were later rescued and either reunited with their owners or adopted by other people, many more succumbed to the ensuing floods, or died of starvation. You can take steps to ensure your pet isn’t left behind to perish in a disaster.

Keep your pets’ crates or travel carriers in a place where you can get to them quickly, like the garage. If they’re in the attic, or stored under a bunch of boxes in the basement, you won’t have time to get to them. If they’re not accessible, or they won’t fit in the car with your family, make sure you have leashes on hand, even for cats. It’s not a bad idea to keep one extra leash per pet in the car in case of emergencies. Keep collars on your pets, and make sure they have ID tags in addition to any licenses or current rabies certificates. Keep the ID tag updated if you move or change your phone number.

There’s a chance an evacuation order can come when you’re away from your home, and you may not be able to get back to your house to get your pets out. The ASPCA provides a free pet safety pack that includes a window decal that informs firefighters and police that there are pets inside the home so they can be retrieved. There’s no guarantee rescue personnel will be able to do this if their hands are full getting people out of harm’s way, or if a fire or other disaster makes it impossible to enter the home, but it will increase the chances of your pet being rescued if you’re not home to evacuate them with you.

Get the right insurance

It may surprise you to learn that not all homeowner’s insurance includes fire coverage. If your homeowner’s policy doesn’t include coverage for fire, ask your insurance agent whether it can be added. If your insurance provider won’t cover your home for fire at all, shop around and find one that will. You may have to pay a higher premium, or even an additional premium for a separate fire policy, but it will be worth it should your home ever end up in the path of an out-of-control wildfire.

It may be difficult to imagine ever being affected by a tragedy like the Fourmile Canyon and Loveland wildfires, but a little planning and foresight now can go a long way toward mitigating the effects of such a disaster.

Ease first day jitters

If your teen is just starting high school, she may be pretty nervous. She’s moving from being one of the oldest kids in middle school to one of the youngest in high school. It’s not just a matter of a new school, new teachers, and new curriculum. Her entire social status has changed, and while it may be more easily navigated with the friends moving up with her from middle school, it can still be a nerve wracking experience for a teenager.

Sit your teen down and let her express her fears or concerns. Let her know that everyone goes through the same experience, and that she’ll get through it with the support of her friends, teachers, and family. Make sure she knows that she can talk to you, her teachers, and counselors if any real problems arise. Let her know that you’ll be there to help her and cheer her on from the first day of school to the last.

Stay safe on the school bus

If your teen will be riding the bus to school, there are a few safety concerns to address. Many school buses don’t have seat belts. Make sure your teen knows to stay seated while the bus is moving. Just because it’s a huge bus and not your small sedan doesn’t make it any safer to move around while the vehicle is in motion. In fact, it can be a distraction to the driver, which creates an unsafe situation for everyone.

Some of the rules your teen has been hearing since elementary school still apply. Don’t stand in the street when waiting for the bus. Stay on the sidewalk or curb. Wait for the bus to completely stop before getting on, off, or standing up. Don’t extend hands or anything else out the windows, especially when the bus is in motion. Above all, remind your teen to listen to the bus driver and follow instructions.

Don’t accept rides from strangers

This is something you’ve probably been teaching your child from a very early age. Just because your kid is a teenager now doesn’t mean it doesn’t still apply. Teenagers can sometimes feel invincible, or as if they can handle situations that were beyond their scope of abilities before. This rule is one that bears repeating often.

One thing to add for teenagers, though, is to also be careful when accepting rides from other kids at school, whether it’s a peer or an older kid. Unfortunately, this rule is especially important for girls. Statistics show that girls are most often raped by people they know, even boys their own age who attend their school. Date rape is an all-too-common occurrence nowadays. Tell your kids not to accept rides from kids, or anyone else they don’t know well, and even if they do know them, they shouldn’t get into a car with someone alone. If they don’t have their own transportation, or maybe missed the school bus, make sure they know to call you before accepting a ride with anyone.

Carry backpacks properly

High school usually means more textbooks, which means a heavier backpack. Kids don’t tend to think about their backs the way adults do, partly because they may not feel the effects of having carried a heavy backpack until later in life. It’s becoming more common for high school kids to pull muscles because of heavy backpacks, though.

Explain to your teen that a backpack needs to be carried with both straps over the shoulders, the way it’s intended, rather than slung over one shoulder. Using only one strap over one shoulder necessitates leaning to remain upright, which throws the spine out of alignment strains muscles. While this may not seem like a big concern to your teen at first, if he’s involved in athletics, it should be even more important to avoid pulling a back muscle, which would keep him on the bench, at least temporarily. Some teens use rolling backpacks, thereby eliminating the need to carry them altogether, except when navigating stairs. Your teen may think it doesn’t look very cool to wheel a backpack around campus, but tell him it’s even less cool to miss out on important games because he carried a heavily laden backpack incorrectly.

Don’t drive drunk

Teenagers often experiment with alcohol, and the results can be disastrous. Now that your child is in high school, he may find himself around other kids who are trying it out, or he may be tempted to try it himself. It’s been proved that younger people are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol, meaning that a teenager can become impaired after drinking a lesser amount of alcohol than an adult. Talk to your teen about drinking, and about being responsible when driving.

Sometimes teens won’t call their parents to come pick them up when they’re too drunk to drive because they’re afraid of the consequences. Make sure your teen knows that being grounded is a much better outcome of having had too much to drink than being involved in a potentially fatal accident. Also let him know that it’s never a good idea to get into a car with someone else who’s been drinking, even if they don’t seem drunk. If your teen doesn’t have any other way to get home, let him know it’s ok to call you to pick him up. Make sure he understands that his safety is more important than your being woken up in the middle of the night.

Above all, try to keep the lines of communication open with your teenager. Encourage her to talk to you, even if the topic is embarrassing, or she’s afraid she might get into trouble. Tell her that her safety and well being are far more important to you than any broken rule or embarrassing situation. The more comfortable she feels talking to you, the more you can help her stay safe during the high school years.

Shari specializes in complex medical negligence (malpractice), catastrophic birth injuries, and birth trauma. She is able to relate especially well to parents whose infants suffer injury and trauma at birth. Her own daughter, Katlyn, passed away in 1996 at just seven months of age after being born with severe disabilities, and contracting a respiratory infection.

To honor her daughter’s memory, and to help other children born with similar challenges, Shari founded Katlyn’s Hope while living in Wichita, Kansas. The organization raised money which was used to help provide in-home training for children who were blind and deaf. Funds also went toward purchasing educational toys, glasses, and hearing aids, and to pay for families to travel to workshops and conferences that taught them how to cope with the disabilities their children had.

After a little more than a decade, Shari moved from Wichita to Denver, and was no longer able to dedicate the time necessary to continue managing Katlyn’s Hope. She donated more than $120,000 in assets from the organization to Challenge Aspen, which has a similar mission, but helps people in a wider age range, and with a wider range of disabilities.

Shari was recently profiled by the Wichita Bar Association, which noted that “she returns to Wichita regularly to finish up cases she has in Kansas,” and that she “loves the mountains and the scenery of Colorado, but still loves Wichita for the warmth of the friends and lawyers she has met and maintained contact with.”

The fact that she makes a habit of visiting her former city to follow up on cases just demonstrates how committed Shari is to her clients, and that she truly cares about them. She regularly takes on cases where people have been wronged in some way, and takes a personal approach to representing them. Shari understands how stressful the legal process can be, especially to someone who doesn’t work within it on a daily basis, and she makes a concerted effort to walk her clients through that process, and remains by their side every step of the way.

We hope it never happens, but if you or a loved one ever finds yourself in need of a medical malpractice lawyer, or one who specializes in catastrophic birth injuries and birth trauma, you would be well represented and supported by Shari Willis.

Accreditation

The American Camp Association (ACA) offers accreditation to camps that meet extensive standards of quality, health, and safety. If the camp you choose is accredited by the ACA, you can rest assured your child is in good hands.

Permit

A summer camp, just like any other business, requires certain permits in order to exist. For example, the camp must have a permit to prepare and serve food. You don’t want to find out later that the health department revoked a camp’s food services permit due to unhealthy practices. Check with local government offices to ensure the camp’s permits are current and in good standing.

Medical Care

Find out whether the camp offers medical care on site. Shockingly, many camps still do not provide basic care for sick or injured children. They don’t have to have a doctor on site at all times, but camp staff should be trained in basic first aid, and there should be a plan in place for transporting injured children to a nearby care facility.

Professional & Trained Staff

Camp counselors should have some sort of training in interacting with children. Working at a summer camp isn’t just a job like working a register at a retail store. It requires a completely different set of skills. Find out what kind of training camp staff goes through. More importantly, find out whether camp staff is screened before being hired. Ask whether the camp does a criminal background check on employees, and whether it requires a drug test. Any camp that hires people without making sure they’re safe to be around children is not a place you want to send your child for the summer.

In addition to overall training to work with children, camp staff should receive additional training specific to their everyday tasks within the camp. Again, all staff should be trained in basic first aid and CPR. People who work in the kitchens should have knowledge of food safety and proper preparation. If the camp has a pool or is near a lake, there must be lifeguards who are certified, and trained in CPR. Hundreds of children die every year in pool accidents that could have been prevented. Do everything you can to make sure your child isn’t one of them.

Healthy Meals

You probably don’t allow your kids to eat hamburgers and hot dogs every day at home, so you don’t want them to eat that kind of food every day just because they’re at camp. Those things are okay in moderation, but find out what kind of menu the camp provides. They should offer healthy options like fresh fruits and vegetables, and go easy on the sugary desserts. Also, if your child has special dietary needs

This is becoming an all too common news story. Someone crashing their car while texting. Someone hitting a pedestrian while talking on their cell phone. Sometimes the driver is injured or killed, as was recently the case in Georgia when an 18-year-old girl died in an accident just two days after she graduated from high school. Authorities believe she was texting while driving. But more often, the driver causes the injury or death of others through their carelessness and irresponsibility.

Texting and driving has become what drunk driving was in the ’80s. That irresponsible behavior launched national campaigns, public service announcements, and non-profit groups intent on doing away with driving under the influence. It worked, to a degree, and the number of accidents caused by alcohol has been greatly reduced over the last three decades. Driving and texting, or just talking on a cell phone, is now gaining national attention as the number of accidents, injuries, and deaths caused by this activity continues to rise.

In January of 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a federal ban on texting by commercial vehicle drivers. It applies to large trucks, like those that transport goods across the country, and buses. The DOT has even launched an initiative to end distracted driving, going so far as to team up with Oprah Winfrey, who has launched her own campaign against distracted driving, called the No Phone Zone.

Winfrey has required all of her employees to sign a pledge stating they will not conduct business over their cell phones while they drive, and asks every guest who appears on her show, as well as audience members to sign the same pledge.

It was, in part, Erica’s death that encouraged Oprah to embark on her mission to get people to give up using their cell phones while driving. The girl’s death was also an impetus for the state of Colorado to pass a ban on texting while driving. The bill started out as a total cell phone ban, which would also cover talking on the phone while driving, but was reduced to address texting alone.

If you’re involved in an accident caused by a driver who texts while driving, you are protected by Colorado law. An attorney can help you understand your rights. And because of Erica Forney’s untimely death, a Fort Collins accident attorney will be especially familiar with this type of case.

If even one accident is avoided because one person chooses not to use their cell phone while driving, Erica Forney will not have died in vain.

Bicycle Accidents

Kids love to ride their bikes. Once they learn how to ride, a bike offers kids a sense of independence, and the ability to propel themselves ever faster can be thrilling. It’s pretty common for kids to race against other kids, or to do tricks like wheelies. This behavior can lead to bicycle accidents. The best thing parents can do is make wearing a bicycle helmet a requirement for riding a bike. No helmet, no bike. Check the fit every so often to make sure the helmet is offering optimal protection as the child grows.

Swimming Accidents

One of the best things about summer is being able to enjoy a swimming pool. It’s a great way to cool off, and can provide hours of fun for kids of all ages. Unfortunately, many small children drown in swimming pools every year, even when parents are doing their best to be careful. It only takes seconds for a toddler to drown in just a few inches of water, and all it takes is for a parent to divert their attention to take a phone call or to go inside to get something to drink. If you have a toddler near a pool, take the child with you if you leave the area, even if you think you’ll only be gone for a minute. If the pool is in your back yard, invest in a fence with a locking gate to keep your toddler out of the pool area without your supervision.

Automobile Accidents

Even with seatbelts, car seats, and air bags, the truth is, automobiles really aren’t built with children in mind. It’s very easy for a child to be injured in even minor automobile accidents because airbags are propelled with so much force, and seatbelts are made for adults. With the kids out of school for the summer, they will probably be in the car with you more often. Take extra care when driving with kids in the car. Make sure every passenger is wearing a seatbelt, and that it’s adjusted for the child’s size, if possible. Ensure toddler and baby car seats are properly installed and secured in the back seat. Obey the speed limits, and reduce distractions by turning off the radio, avoiding drinking or eating, and not using a cell phone while driving.

Kids don’t have to be passengers in vehicles to be injured by them. During the summer, a lot of kids play in neighborhood streets, especially areas where there is little yard space, or near apartment complexes. One thing to really watch out for is kids playing in front yards in neighborhoods where cars park on the street. A child will run after a stray ball without thinking, and may dash out into the street from between parked cars. This makes it difficult for drivers to see them until it’s too late.

It’s essential to obey neighborhood speed limits, and perhaps even drive a little more slowly when you see kids playing outside. Above all, don’t take your eyes off the road, even for a few seconds. That’s all it takes for a child to run out in front of a car and be hit. Even at the posted speed limit, a moving vehicle will severely injure a small child.

Fire Accidents

Grilling is a popular cooking method during the summer. Keep kids away from the hot grill while it’s in use, and talk to them as they get older about the dangers of grills. Store grilling supplies such as charcoal, lighter fluid, and matches well out of children’s reach. You also may enjoy setting off fireworks on Independence Day, if they’re legal where you live. Never allow small children to light fireworks, or to be too close to an area where they’re being set off. Every year, hospitals see hundreds of children burnt by fireworks. Don’t let your child be one of those statistics.

Talk to your kids about the dangers of everyday activities, and teach them how to enjoy them safely. And whenever possible, supervise your children to ensure they’re staying safe, and will be able to enjoy many summers to come.

Below is a list of several emergency and urgent care facilities in Colorado that cater to children. This list is not exhaustive.

Emergency Departments

The Children’s Hospital Main Campus, Aurora
Emergency Care
13123 East 16th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80045
Phone: 720-777-1234

The Children’s Hospital at Saint Joseph Hospital, Denver
Emergency Care
1830 Franklin Street
Denver, CO 80218
Phone: 720-777-1360

The Children’s Hospital at Parker Adventist Hospital, Parker
Emergency Care
9395 Crown Crest Boulevard
Parker, CO 80138
Phone: 720-777-1350

The Children’s Hospital at Littleton Adventist Hospital, Littleton
Emergency Care (After-Hours only)
7700 S. Broadway
Littleton, CO 80122
Phone: 303-730-5895

Memorial Hospital Central, Colorado Springs
Emergency Care
1400 East Boulder Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Phone: 719-365-5000

Memorial Hospital North, Colorado Springs
Emergency Care
4050 Briargate Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
Phone: 719-364-5000

Urgent & After Hours Care

The Children’s Hospital North Campus, Broomfield
Urgent Care
469 W 168th Avenue
Broomfield, CO 80023
Phone: 720-777-1340

The Children’s Hospital at Lutheran Medical Center (Wheat Ridge)
Urgent Care
3455 Lutheran Parkway, Suite 230
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
Phone: 720-777-1370

Briargate Medical Campus, Colorado Springs
Urgent & After-Hours Care
8890 North Union
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
Phone: 365-2888

Springs Medical Center, Colorado Springs
Urgent & After-Hours Care
2502 East Pikes Peak Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Phone: 365-5075

Wildfires are common in Australia due to frequent drought and oppressive heat. Yet firefighters continue to risk their lives to fulfill their duties of keeping people and property safe. In 1998, five firefighters died in a horrible wildfire in Lindon, Australia. Afterward, the local community paid tribute to them and the sacrifices they made by wearing red ribbons in their honor. This small gesture was the beginning of what is now observed as International Firefighters’ Day.

The loss of those five men, and the ensuing tribute prompted a volunteer firefighter named JJ Edmondson of Victoria, Australia to begin an online campaign to coordinate international recognition for firefighters around the world. The positive response was overwhelming, and after some discussion, it was decided that International Firefighters’ Day would be observed on May 4 every year.

This date was chosen because it is also the day that celebrates the life of Saint Florian, the patron saint of firefighters, among other things. He stands for selfless dedication to duty and saving lives, the very things today’s firefighters risk their lives for.

Last week, those who want to pay tribute to firefighters wore a blue and red ribbon to honor those firefighters who have been injured, who have given their lives to save others, or who simply take on that risk every single day. Whether or not you observe this international day of recognition and tribute, the bravery and dedication displayed by firefighters everywhere is undeniable.

In March 2010, the NSC released a white paper citing more than 30 studies that show cell phone use while driving is dangerous. The paper is interesting because it doesn’t support using hands-free devices in lieu of hand held phones, an alternative advised by many who speak out against cell phone use while driving, but who don’t support a complete ban. Instead, the paper states that using a cell phone at all while driving requires the brain to multitask, divides attention, causes distraction, and can thereby cause accidents.

Some people argue that talking on a cell phone is no different than talking to a passenger in the car. This is true, to a point. But a passenger in the car is seeing everything the driver sees, and when a situation arises that requires more of the driver’s attention and skill, the passenger will most likely stop talking to allow the driver to concentrate. The person on the other end of a cell phone call doesn’t have that advantage, and will continue to talk, perhaps even demanding responses when the driver needs to concentrate fully on the road.

Studies have also shown that drivers talking on cell phones have similar reaction times to drivers who are impaired by alcohol. No one argues that drinking and driving is dangerous and should be illegal, yet many people still argue that using a cell phone while driving is acceptable.

People tend to forget that when they’re driving, they’re operating a complex machine that weighs two to three thousand pounds, depending on the vehicle. All those features that were created to make driving easier, such as power steering, power brakes, and automatic transmissions belie the amount of energy it takes to power a vehicle, and the tremendous amount of force it can exert on impact. Most of the accidents traced back to cell phone distraction involve running red lights or stop signs, or simply driving into oncoming traffic, things that drivers would be much less likely to do had they not been talking or texting on cell phones.

Although the Colorado ban now in effect bans texting