WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

$124 distracted driving fines not just for cell phone users

Keeping people safe on the road takes constantly-evolving laws. We’ve heard a lot about the increasing penalties for impaired driving, for example.

Right now, state troopers and local police are emphasizing a different part of state law, something that gets far less attention in the press than drunk driving, but is far more common and possibly more dangerous: distracted driving.

Twenty percent of all King County traffic deaths involve distracted drivers, according to a story by Chris Sullivan of KIRO News.

What is distracted driving?

It’s not just texting, though that’s becoming epidemic. Distracted driving is a broaddistracted driving definition that can include eating while driving, fiddling with the radio, driving with your knees while putting on makeup – there are endless ways of not paying enough attention when you should have both hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road.

The fine for distracted driving is $124.

Sullivan said state troopers and police will use unmarked cars to hunt for distracted drivers during the next two weeks — especially those who are also committing errors like weaving or failing to signal — then radio ahead to patrol cars to actually pull drivers over and issue warnings or fines.

The push is part of Washington state’s Target Zero plan, to end all traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030.

These efforts do pay off. According to the Traffic Safety Commission, only 82 percent of drivers wore seatbelts in 2002, when the seat belt law went into effect. After years of emphasis campaigns like Click It or Ticket, 97 percent of drivers now buckle up.