My first new carA few months ago, I bought my first new car. The number of choices to make seemed a bit ridiculous. I walked into the dealership knowing I wanted a green Ford Focus sedan, only to discover that there were half a dozen models that fell into that category – Focus LX, LX Premium, SE, SE Comfort, ZTS, blah blah blah, and some. shades of green. In addition to the car model and color choices, decisions were made on option packages. And after seeing the "made-up" SUVs on MTV Cribs, equipped with two or three LCD screens (including one in the dashboard for the driver, of course), a DVD player, speakers costing more than my university studies, GPS navigation systems similar to those used in the space shuttle, heated seats and 20-inch chrome wheels, my eyes were wide with opportunity. After checking financing and narrowing down the alternatives to what I might really need or want, I ended up with the most basic standard package. Even my car's standard package seems excessive. Three years ago, remote locks, power-adjustable side mirrors and advanced heating systems were luxuries, but today they have become standard necessities. My cup holders are adjustable to a few sizes, accommodating everything from an eight-ounce coffee to a gourmet fifty-two-ounce Extreme Big Gulp. The stereo has over twenty presets (with the large call sign display panel, not just the radio frequency), an option to cycle through channels looking only for stations playing a genre specified music, and of course adjustable treble and bass, which I have. I will never touch. The car's manual, which had more pages dedicated to the stereo than the rest of the automobile, revealed a clever feature that allows me to program a volume for the radio to reset......mid paper......it was about to pass... When I look past what's inside the Ford Focus LX Premium versus the SE Comfort I can see many of these technological advances for what they really are: unnecessary risks. The fact is that the number of accidents (and deaths) is increasing as a direct result of driver distractions, and more technology only increases the distraction. Unfortunately, manufacturers are realizing that a high-tech GPS system can sell for much more than an upgraded seat belt. Protecting human safety should be the primary concern of transportation regulations and in-vehicle technology developments. So while other people continue to drive, calling to check voicemail, worrying about finishing their Big Gulp Slurpee, and buying a GPS navigator to find the quickest route to the big gulp house -mother, I will know that I left the dealership with the safest option: focus.