Google Glass Could Be Banned From West Virginia Roads Before Its Release

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has yet to officially release ts revolutionary wearable computer Google Glass, but that hasn’t stopped one lawmaker from attempting to ban Glass from the roads before it even hits the stores.

Gary G. Howell, a Republican member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, introduced a bill seeking to ban drivers from “using a wearable computer with a head-mounted display,” which, of course, would apply to Google Glass.

Howell said the bill was inspired by a recent review of Google Glass by CNet. While the legislator may believe that Google Glass is the wave of the future, he doesn't think it belongs on the roads.

"I am a libertarian, and government has no business protecting us from ourselves, but it does have a duty to make sure I don't injure or kill someone else," Howell told CNet.

It might seem odd -- given Howell's trying to ban Google Glass from the roads and all -- but the lawmaker said he is really a fan of the product. He’s just concerned that it could cause trouble for drivers on the road.

“I actually like the idea of the product, and I believe it is the future, but last legislature we worked long and hard on a no-texting-and-driving law,” Howell told CNet. “It is mostly the young that are the tech-savvy that try new things. They are also our most vulnerable and underskilled drivers. We heard of many crashes caused by texting and driving, most involving our youngest drivers. I see the Google Glass as an extension.”

Google has yet to issue a response to Howell’s bill, but, before too long, driving while wearing Glass might not be a problem at all. As CNet pointed out, Google is also hard at work creating a self-driving car.

So far, it seems to be doing a good job, as TechCrunch reported last year that self-driving cars have driven more than 300,000 miles without a single accident. And, on the legal front, California, Florida and Nevada have already embraced Google’s efforts. So maybe driving while wearing Glass isn’t such a concern after all.