Be honest, when's the last time you responded to a text message from behind the wheel? If you're in with the majority of cellphone-toting Americans, you've done it -- though you probably also think it should be outlawed. A recent poll of about 2,000 US adults found that some 57 percent had participated in a little SMS action while driving at some point in their lives, but they were at least cognizant of its danger, with 91 percent guessing it was as dangerous as driving on a couple drinks. We'd guess as much, too -- if not more so, considering that texting takes brain function and your eyes away from the road. 89 percent of the polled folks want the practice outlawed, which really makes us wonder about those two percent that know it's dangerous and want to keep on doing it. Let us know to stay away with a bumper sticker on your jalopy, k?

Following up on a prior threat, Washington has put its legislative rubber to the road to become the first state to turn texting drivers into criminals. While the safety of handsfree voice calling continues to be a source of controversy, texting behind the wheel is a pretty boneheaded move any way you slice it -- seeing how it robs you of your eyes, your hands, and your attention -- so we applaud Washington's stance here. For the time being, though, it's more of a symbolic move since the state's politicians gave the law virtually no bite to back up its bark; besides the relatively light $101 fine, DWT is a secondary offense, meaning that a driver already needs to be nailed for something else (say, speeding) to get thrown the book. Maybe a little time in the pokey would get violators on the straight and narrow?