OLYMPIA — State lawmakers are trying to make it easier for police to ticket people for holding cell phones to their ear while driving.
On Thursday, the Legislature wrapped up work on a bill that toughens a 2007 law barring use of a hand-held phone or texting while behind the wheel of a moving motor vehicle.
It is headed to Gov. Chris Gregoire for her anticipated signature, which in turn may touch off a buying spree of headsets and other types of hands-free devices.
The biggest change sought by the bill is to make it a primary offense to hold a phone while speaking — law enforcement officers will be able to pull over drivers they see chatting with a phone held to their head.
Right now, it’s a secondary offense and police need another reason to stop you. Even so, they’ve been busy writing plenty of the $124 tickets.
In 2009, the Washington State Patrol contacted 5,141 drivers about the phone in their hands and wound up writing 1,607 tickets. They handed out another 236 tickets for texting, which is a bit harder to see at 65 miles per hour.
If this bill becomes law, Washington will become the sixth state with such penalties.
Q: What happened?
A: State lawmakers passed a bill allowing law enforcement to stop drivers they see using hand-held cell phones or texting while driving.
Q: What’s next?
A: Gov. Chris Gregoire will be asked to sign Senate Bill 6345.
Q: Will she sign it?
A: Most likely. She signed the bill in 2007 making driving while holding a phone to the ear a secondary offense. She said Thursday she had not read the new bill but does believe limits are good for public safety.
Q: When would it take effect?
A: June 10.
Q: How much is the ticket?
A: $124.
Q: Who does it cover?
A: Almost anyone holding a cell phone to their ear while they drive. If you’re using that phone or another wireless communication device to read, manually write or send a text message, you’ll be in violation, too. Those under 18 with a learner’s permit or an intermediate license cannot use a cell phone or texting device while driving, period.
Q: Who is exempt?
A: People operating emergency vehicles like police officers, firefighters and paramedics as well as tow truck drivers responding to a disabled vehicle and bus drivers contacting dispatchers with “time-sensitive” information. Also, people with hearing aids can continue to use hand-held phones.
Q: Aren’t there some exceptions for everyone?
A: Yes. Any person reporting a crime or phoning for emergency help won’t be ticketed for having a hand-held phone at their ear.
Q: Does this totally ban cell phone use while driving?
A: No. A phone operated with a hands-free device like a headset, earpiece or speakerphone is legal. People also likely won’t be ticketed for holding a phone away from their ear and talking on it in speaker mode.
Q: Can I drink coffee and drive?
A: Yes. You won’t get a ticket but it still will cost you at the dry cleaner.
Q: What does the Washington State Patrol think about this?
A: They welcome it because they hope it keeps more drivers focused on driving. While state troopers are exempt, the WSP chief wants them to abide by the law as best as they can and to that end is trying to get them headsets.
Q: Who else does this?
A: California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington, D.C., have similar laws regarding hand-held phones, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Washington is one of 18 states that ban texting. If the bill is signed into law, we would become the 22nd state barring new drivers from using cell phones behind the wheel.
Read the bill
To read Senate Bill 6345, go to www.leg.wa.gov.
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