Texas legislators are proposing a new state law that would prohibit using a BlackBerry while driving a car. If put into law, the bill would require drivers to use hands-free devices while talking on their mobile phones and would also ban laptop use and the sending of text messages while in the drivers seat.

Supporters of the bill say that studies have shown how cell phones distract drivers and lead to car accidents. The most recent Texas statistics show that the number of cell phone related car accidents jumped 44 percent from 716 in 2000 to more than 1,000 in 2001.

I would be willing to bet that those numbers have gone up significantly since 2001.

One of the questions concerned BlackBerry addicts have is if the ban on BlackBerry devices would a total ban while driving or if the the mobile phone capability could be used with a hands-free device. My guess is the latter.