Time to hang up and drive
June 24, 2008
By Kendra Abernathy
Ban on driving while talking on a hand held cell phone starts July 1
Jamie Cook can’t help but feel nervous on the road when other drivers fall victim to distractions within their vehicles. That’s just one of the reasons that the Sammamish resident supports the ban on driving and using a cell phone that’s set to go into effect July 1.
“The ban on cell phone use will make people aware of the dangers posed by driving with a cell phone,” she said.
July 1 will mark the first day it will be illegal to use a hand-held cell phone while driving in Washington.
Drivers may still talk on their phone if they use a hands-free device. Those ticketed for illegal cell phone use will be fined $124.
Although the ban has supporters like Cook, some groups are saying that Washington’s ban doesn’t go far enough, and will have minimal safety impacts.
AAA has calculated that distracted driving, including cell phone use, results in 4,000 to 8,000 crashes daily in the United States.
However, the association doesn’t believe banning cell phones will help lower this statistic.
A study funded by the association confirmed their belief that banning hand-held phones, but allowing hands-free phones, is likely to have little or no effect on safety.
Others view the hand-held cell phone ban as a positive change and are readily making the transition to hands-free devices.
Since it is impossible to remove all distractions while driving, this ban is gaining support among some people for its attempts to make progress towards decreasing the overall number of possible disruptions.
“Using a hands-free device is safer but can still be considered distracting,” Cook said about using her Bluetooth. “Hands-free devices will at least allow drivers to keep their focus on the wheel.”
Confusion about how the ban will be enforced is another issue that has gained attention as July 1 approaches.
Talking on a hand held cell phone will be considered a secondary offense, so drivers can’t be pulled over simply for talking on the phone.
Police must first find the driver doing something else wrong, such as speeding or driving with expired license tabs.
Because of this, some doubt the law will be effective.
“It will be difficult for police to catch you in the act because by the time they pull you over you can put away your phone,” Issaquah resident Brynnen Bailey-Lewis said.
However, she is still happy about the incoming ban.
“At least the law will give people incentive to buy a hands-free device and try it out,” she said.
Sammamish Chief of Police Brad Thompson does not believe officers will have any problems catching people committing this secondary offense, due to the number of traffic stops his officers make daily, often while people are talking on their cell phones.
He also expects that as people get accustomed to the cell phone ban, it will go the way of the seat belt law.
“In time I predict we will see this move to a primary offense,” said Thompson.
Intern Kendra Abernathy can be reached at samrev@isspress.com.
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