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Hang up and drive!, Washington State Goes Hands Free

Posted by: JudyS
July 11, 2008
Topic: Hands Free Driving

"Hang up and drive!" It's a familiar comment made by many commuters. July 1st marks the date that Washington State joins New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and the District of Columbia in requiring drivers to be hands free if they are going to talk on the phone while driving. California's law goes into effect the same day as Washington States'.

There are conflicting reports about the effects of hands free cell phone usage. Some say there are no discernable differences in the way people drive while others - including a study at the University of Utah that found people who talk on the phone while driving, hands free or not, had the same reaction time as those who have a blood alcohol level of .08.

While the fine is $124 in Washington, the law is considered to be secondary, which means the police cannot pull you over for simply talking on the phone. But if you are doing something else wrong and you are on the phone you could very well get that ticket. Whether or not you get a ticket will depend on the Officer who pulls you over.

Some may argue that any activity other than driving should be banned, but research has also shown that eating while driving, for instance, doesn't impair ability as much because it's "mindless" activity. Unless, of course, you spill your food or your hot coffee, THEN it's a definite impairment. By and large it is believed that if both hands are on the wheel you will be a better driver. Logic says so. It sure beats the guy I saw last week who had his left foot out of, and resting on, his driver's window, leaning to the right side with a cell phone in his right hand and a cigarette in his left. I kept an eye out for him and never got close enough to yell "Hang up and put your foot in and drive!" It would have taken too long to yell anyway.


At the Law Offices of James Newton, PLLC, in Kent, Washington, our criminal defense lawyers serve clients throughout the state of Washington, including Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia; South King County including Kent, Renton, and Auburn; and Eastside communities including Bellevue, Issaquah, and Kirkland. For felony cases, the attorneys travel statewide, handling criminal trials in both Washington State and federal courts.