There are more laws curtailing our use of technology in the works. The Huffington Post reports that there are several senators up in arms over an app that shows where DUI checkpoints are. Unfortunately, Georgia allows roadblocks, no matter what you call them -- license checkpoints, road checks-- as long as they are decided upon by a supervisor and meet other criteria.  Except for very limited circumstances, the police cannot set up a roadblock for general law enforcement purposes (see if you're wanted), but only for traffic-related purposes (are you wearing your seatbelt?  are your kids strapped in?  have you been drinking?).  Limited purposes would be there's been a murder a mile away, and they're checking passing cars to see if the murderer is hiding in one.

But back to the real story. Remember when kind drivers used to flash their headlights at oncoming traffic to warn them of speed traps or roadblocks? Apps have taken that approach to a new level. Using GPS technology, apps can track a driver's location and point out upcoming speed traps and roadblocks, traffic cameras, school zones, accidents, railroad tracks, speed bumps, and dangerous curves and intersections. Sounds like a brilliant idea to me. Because if I didn't have an app telling me about this, I'd be looking at my phone clicking on an old fashioned maps app to figure out where all the slow traffic is and avoiding problems that way. And that would be distracted driving, which by the way, is against the law (as is texting and driving). It's much faster to have an app process all that information and tell me about it.

Our senators need to stop being so afraid of new technology and trying to block its use. Instead of banning apps (how many rights will that violate?), they need to reconsider just how effective roadblocks are at finding drunk drivers. They need to find a way to write tight laws that keep us safe instead of writing separate laws to cover every possible situation --we already have distracted driving laws. We don't need separate laws banning phone use, app use, texting, or watching tv while we drive. Those all fall under "distracted driving."

If we ban this app, where will it lead? Frankly, I use Google Maps when I'm on a long trip and one of my favorite features shows me where road construction and traffic congestion is. If traffic congestion is caused by a roadblock, I can't tell, but I'm still going to avoid the area. Should all traffic apps be banned then?

Call your senator and call him off!

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