It was bound to happen: television, the ultimate distraction for drivers.

Portable, small-screen TVs with video-cassette recorders are now being marketed to owners of vans and sports-utility vehicles.

Oh, sure, the promotions show the unit being used by back-seat passengers.

You can be sure, however, that the same idiots who use cellular phones while driving will be tempted to watch TV as well.

And then there are those satelite-tuned directional gadgets mounted on dashboards. Just another feast for the eyes.

You can bet that future police reports will cite how some drivers swerved into oncoming traffic while watching Seinfeld reruns, ordering pizzas or looking for the next turnoffs.

Let's hope legislatures soon will ban cell phones, TVs, direction finders, citizen-band and short-wave radios and other dangerous accessories in vehicles. (May 7 2000).