We’ve written about the dangers of texting while driving—particularly among teens—before. Now the practice has been brought to national attention with the news that texting may have played a part in last Friday’s fatal crash of a California commuter train. The National Transportation Safety Board reviewed cell phone records and found that the train's engineer was sending and receiving text messages while he was on duty. Federal investigators still need to determine if the engineer's texting with two teenage passengers while he was driving the train caused him to miss a stop signal, according to published reports. The California Public Utilities Commission has just banned the personal use of cellular communication devices while operating a train.

Six states and Washington, DC ban the use of handheld cell phones—for talking and/or texting—while driving. Simply put, if you’re driving any type of vehicle, keep your eyes on the road, not your cell phone, PDA, or other device. See our tips on how to reduce driver distraction. And share them with the teenagers in your life.

—Desiree Calamari