Washington House Passes Stricter Texting While Driving Ban | Seattle Car Accident Lawyer

I’m not the only one who wants the roads to be safer and to have less car accidents in Seattle and the rest of our communities in Washington. Wednesday night in Olympia, the Washington House of Representatives approved a stricter ban on texting while driving with a vote of 86-12. This bill would make texting while driving a primary offense if police catch you in the act and the fine for texting while driving would be $124. It is encouraging to see that lawmakers see this as a necessary step in order to improve road safety and reduce Washington auto accidents. The bill also says that drivers under the age of 18 can be pulled over for texting or using a cell phone in any way; of course, there is an exception for emergencies.

The specifics of the bill state that it is illegal to read, write or send text messages while driving.
Senator Eide said texting and driving is “the equivalent of driving drunk. We don’t tolerate drunks in Washington State. It’s time to say hang up and drive.”

Rep. Reuven Carlyle agrees with Eide and said, “mobile phones have permeated every aspect of life. But when it comes to public safety, when it comes to young people, when it comes to the reality of decisions that they make, this legislation is an important step forward.”

Governor Chris Gregoire will not see the bill on her desk until the House and Senate work out a few details, but it was important to get the ball rolling on this issue.

Hopefully this law will be finalized as, in my opinion as a Seattle car accident attorney, it is something that is incredibly important to the safety of our community. There is absolutely no reason why states (such as Arizona) should not be passing similar bans. With legislatures throughout the country taking stands, it is great to finally be able to write about our own state of Washington.

Please do not use your cell phones while driving and check out the website, Teens Against Distracted Driving.

This information is provided by www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Jason Epstein and his law practice Premiere Law Group in Seattle, Washington.

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