Talking on a cell phone while driving will soon be illegal.

The provincial government recently announced that talking on the cell phone or texting while driving will soon be illegal.

They announced it to great fanfare. People were happy. A few representatives from various community groups were standing beside the minister at the press conference, smiling and nodding their heads.

People phoned into the radio station and said it was a great idea because they've had lots of "close calls" or "near misses" with distracted drivers.

My first instinct as well is to support the move. No one likes people yapping on their cell phones while they drive.

But we also need to think about the role of government. Should the government be responsible for legislating good behaviour? Can you legislate good behaviour? Do laws make people moral? Is the government's role to take care of us? Do I want a portion of my taxes supporting these kinds of initiatives?

Where do we draw the line? If talking on a cell phone distracts drivers, then shouldn't it be illegal to talk to a passenger? Or fiddle with the radio?

We need to remember every law that is passed, no matter how benign, gives the government just a little more power over our lives. And, in this case, the government restricts our freedom just a little more as well.

PS: Isn't the expression "near miss" silly? Wouldn't it just be a "miss"? I would think a near miss would actually be a hit.