Summary
Recent numbers released by the Oregon State Patrol tend to support that assessment. Not much has changed with respect to people multitasking behind the wheel. During the first two months of the law, the State Patrol had issued 113 citations and handed out 492 warnings. February witnessed twice as many cell-phone-related citations as January. That's not a great learning curve. "If we really want to keep people safe on the road, outlaw everything short of keeping both hands on the wheel," the Hermiston editorial states. "It only takes a millisecond to lose control and cause a serious accident." We, too, fear that not much will change when the new law kicks into effect in Washington. Multitasking behind the wheel -- whether it's with a cell phone or reaching for a cheeseburger -- has become far too commonplace. Taking Oregon's lead, the Washington's State Patrol will go through the same slow approach to enforcement with troopers issuing warnings at first, later to be followed by handing out $124 tickets to those who fail to use a hands-free device while driving. Recent news reports about the dangers of using cell phones only underscore the need for drivers to reform their habits. Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicated cell-phone-using drivers may have caused 955 fatalities and 240,000 accidents in 2002. The use of cell phones has only gotten worse since then. It will take vigilance on everyone's part to put an end to this dangerous practice of talking or texting on cell phones while cruising down a roadway. Any distraction is dangerous, and police can't be everywhere. So when you see someone on a cell phone after June 10, fight back. A well- timed horn blast may wake up a cell-phone-toting driver that times have changed. State Sen. Tracey Eide, D-Federal Way, who sponsored the measure, said the public is fed up with distracted drivers. "They want people to get into their cars from point A to point B, and get there safely," she told The Associated Press.
Starting June 10, Washington will join Oregon and five other states that have banned driving while talking on a hand-held cell phone. For many, this is welcome news. Who hasn't seen distracted drivers chatting away on their cell phones while trying to negotiate intersections and tight turns?See the full content of this document
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'Cell Phone Law Is a Joke.'
But laws don't ...
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