Workload distraction, regardless of its form, is an impediment to safer driving. What about in-car (or truck) GPS systems?

New York state wants to crack down on truckers who rely on satellite devices to direct them onto faster but prohibited routes and end up crashing into overpasses that are too low for their rigs.

Gov. David Paterson on Wednesday proposed penalties including jail time and confiscation of trucks to come down on drivers who use GPS — global positioning systems — to take more hazardous routes and end up striking bridges.

"To our knowledge, no other state has similar legislation," said Clayton Boyce of the American Trucking Associations, an industry trade group based in Washington.

This cause and effect focused on truck that might hit a bridge because it offers a better route would only be something a politician would actually bring up.

Cell phone, texting, MP3 player, CD loading/unloading, passenger(s) watching a video (from a laptop or hand held device), food, drink, navigation systems are all sources of driver distracton. By design, if they are in the car, they cause the driver to take his/her eyes off the road.

Certain items are driver optional items whereas some are placed there by the vehicle manufacturer or owning entity like the company that owns a truck. The question is one for the legal system:  how much entraptment is involced?

A drive-thru fast food windows implies eating a driving. Car stereo systems imply changing CDs; the newer ones have MP3 player jacks and imply an MP3 player in the car and the listener changing songs or albums. Hands-free items promote cell phone converstation, removing the driver somewhat from the driving task. The GPS navigation systems -- hand held or center consol mounted -- force the driver to look away from the road, even for a second or two.

These problems are hard to deal with. Legislation is not the answer though politicians probably think so.

Distracted driving comes in many forms, it is up to each of us to be smart and non-distracted drivers.