The only thing we don't like about the new federal regulation banning long-haul truckers and bus drivers from texting while driving is that it doesn't apply to all drivers.

The U.S. Transportation Department implemented its new ban prohibiting truck and bus drivers from texting with hand-held devices while driving on Tuesday.

That makes good sense to us, since the idea of a distracted driver behind the wheel of any vehicle is frightening. Research shows that drivers who send and receive text messages take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds while texting. That seems like a recipe for disaster to us if you're driving so much as a go-cart.

But distracted drivers who are piloting a large semi-truck hauling hazardous materials, or a passenger bus filled with people, while texting is downright terrifying. The horror stories of death and injury that have been attributed to texting drivers are numerous and tragic. How much worse might the destruction be if one of those accidents involved a multi-ton truck at a busy intersection or a tour bus full of sight-seeing tourists?

Texting truckers, of course, are unhappy with the new rule, which comes with civil and criminal penalties of up to $2,750 for breaking it. We agree that professional truck and bus drivers are among the safest, lowest-risk drivers on the road. Still, we're not sympathetic to their complaints that their rights are being infringed upon. Driving isn't an unfettered right and, certainly, texting while driving shouldn't be, either.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia already prohibit all drivers from texting while at the wheel of a vehicle. Ten more make it illegal for novice drivers to text and drive.

Good for them. We'd love to see South Dakota join that list.