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Hands at 10 and 2?

L-O-L.

Not in Massachusetts. There's no ban on texting while driving.

That made John from Watertown curious. So he went to our website and asked:

"I am beyond curious as to why our legislature has not enacted a ban on texting while operating a motor vehicle."

State lawmakers hurried together to talk about the vacant seat in the U.S. Senate, but what's the delay on texting at the wheel?

"This stuff takes time," says Senator Brian Joyce, from Milton.

"It's cumbersome."

There has been quite a bit of action on Beacon Hill with this issue. Last year, the House passed a ban. This summer, the Senate attached a ban to a budget. But it didn't work. Now the Transportation Committee is studying 16 bills.

Some recent studies have revealed that being distracted behind the wheel can be worse than driving drunk.

We saw that happen when a train engineer was texting, and hit another train this spring.

So, the only argument against a ban is that it would infringe on our rights. Senator Mark Montigny, who's written several distracted driver bills, doesn't buy that.

"When they are killing other people, we have not only the right, but the responsibility as a proxy for the public to say 'enough is enough.'"

So when will it happen?

This weekend's death of a texting teenager should put it back in the spotlight. It should also put Senator Stephen Baddour in the spotlight. The Transportation Committee chairman has argued passionately for a ban. He thinks it'll happen by the fall.

When that happens, WBZ will let you know. Maybe even, by a text alert.

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