In many towns throughout California and across the country, Friday nights during the fall mean just one thing: high school football. The sport, for a large number of communities, has grown to become more than just recreation or competition; it has become a cultural institution with roots that are several generations deep. Youth sports, of course, begin well before high school, with kids as young as four or five years old starting to play T-ball or soccer. During a practice or contest, young athletes often get hurt, and, as most coaches would say, injuries are part of the game. It is …

For years now, public awareness campaigns have been reinforcing the inherent danger of cell phone use while driving. In fact, one could argue that the war against texting and driving is nearly equivalent to the anti-drunk driving efforts of the 1980’s. Today, 46 states and the District of Columbia have instituted complete bans on texting while driving, while Texas and Missouri maintain bans for younger drivers. Only Montana and Arizona have no laws prohibiting such mobile device use. However, a new study suggests that simply hearing a cell phone notification may be just as distracting as …