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Crime & Safety

VIDEO: Troopers Crack Down on Cell Phone Use While Driving

The Washington State Patrol takes an aggressive stance on drivers using mobile devices behind the wheel.

It's a behind-the-wheel sin that most of us have committed while cruising down the road: chatting on the phone or texting.

We know it's dangerous. We know it's illegal. We know it can cost us. Yet, some drivers continue to talk and type undeterred.

Well, here's another reason to put down the phone and drive.

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In the last 11 months since Washington began enforcing the new cell phone laws, troopers have been patrolling the roads to crack down and inform drivers about the dangers of using a cellular device while driving.

According to the Washington State Department of Licensing, talking on a mobile device, either hand-held or hands-free while driving, can delay a driver's reaction time almost as much as having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 percent. Meanwhile, texting while driving can slow the reaction time to as much as of 0.16 blood alcohol level - double the legal limit.

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The Washington State Patrol said if drivers need to talk on their cell phones while driving, use a Bluetooth or other hands-free devices. Otherwise, drivers will be slapped with a $124 fine.

Ouch.

Despite these statistics, the new cell phone and texting law has been difficult to enforce, according to Sergeant Troy Tomaras of the Washington State Patrol. He said it's not always easy to distinguish if the driver is typing messages on the phone while driving or dialing a number, which is allowed in the state. 

According to the state law, it's illegal to hold a phone to your ear or write text messages while driving, with the exception of:

  • Operating an authorized emergency vehicle, or a tow truck responding to a disabled vehicle
  • Using a hands-free device including a speaker phone, a headset, or an earpiece
  • Operating an amateur radio and possesses a valid amateur radio operator license from the Federal Communications Commission
  • Reporting illegal activity, summoning medical or emergency help, or using the device to prevent injury to a person or property
  • Using a hearing aid
  • Relaying information between a transit or for-hire operator and that operator's dispatch in which the device is permanently affixed to the vehicle

During a recent ride-along, Tomaras pulled over Tara High, who was on her cell phone while waiting to turn on to Purdy Drive. 

She admitted that cell phones can be a distraction when she should be paying attention to the road.

Just a few days before this incident, she said she was driving in a similar area, and the car in front of her was involved in an accident. If she had been on her cell phone and not focusing on the road, she would have crashed into the cars in front of her, she said.

Despite the constant struggle, the Washington State Patrol said it has managed to cite more than 1,700 violators in the past year.

Tomaras said using your mobile devices while driving is never a good idea because they divide your attention away from the roadway.

"The majority of the drivers have made an effort to use a Bluetooth or pull over to use their cell phones," he said.

Simply put, talking or texting while driving isn't worth it.

Editor's Note: In the previous version of the story, Patch erroneously reported that "Tomaras gave the violators a choice of either getting a ticket or explaining his or her feeling on the new cell phone law for Patch, along with a written warning." 
Patch is committed to accuracy and strives to meet the highest editorial standards in its reporting.

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