Washington law enforcement officers will hit the roads in increased numbers starting next week. They’ll be looking for distracted drivers, focusing on people who can’t seem to keep their hands and eyes off cellphones.
The heightened emphasis will happen from April 2 to 14, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.
Extra patrols are meant to increase awareness of the newish distracted driving law dubbed Driving Under the Influence of Electronics, or E-DUI Act.
The law prohibits drivers from using handheld cellphones or watching videos while they are driving, stopped in traffic or at a stoplight. The banned electronics include tablets, laptops, and gaming devices, among other items.
Gov. Jay Inslee signed the law in July 2017, but it wasn’t until late January that a grace period ended for people caught using devices while driving. During those six months, Washington State Patrol troopers issued nearly 6,500 distracted driver warnings.
That’s not to say officers weren’t handing out tickets. The traffic safety commission says about 1,500 drivers have been ticketed each month since the governor signed the law. Officers used their own discretion when deciding who would get off with a warning and who wouldn’t. In general, if a person was breaking distracted driving laws already in place, they likely were handed a fine, said Erika Mascorro, WTSC program manager.
The first E-DUI ticket costs drivers $136. If the driver gets a second ticket within five years, the fine increases to $234. All information on those violations is available to insurance companies.
A statewide survey of Washington drivers found that 96 percent of respondents agreed using a cellphone while driving is dangerous, 88 percent said they don’t check social media while driving and most said they do not read incoming texts, according to a press release from the traffic safety commission.
One percent of respondents felt comfortable being a passenger in a car with a driver who was texting, the release says.
The commission also said it was starting a campaign aimed at educating parents and caregivers, encouraging them to set a good example for kids.
“We need to change the culture of distracted driving in our state,” said WTSC Deputy Director Pam Pannkuk. “We believe parents can lead the way in making this shift and model good driving behavior for their children.”
