At least while driving anyway. They have been officially banned in Washington. The legislature passed the build last month, and Governor Chris Gregoire signed it late Friday. The law doesn't take into effect until July 2008 (seriously, why wait?). It includes text messaging (which become banned January 2008), but not hands-free sets, which remain legal.
The offenses are secondary offenses, which mean that you cannot be pulled over just for talking on the phone, but you will get a bigger ticket if you are pulled over for something else while talking on the phone. The fine for texting will be at least $101. That's almost as bad as my providers data rate!
Driving while talking on the phone has been repeatedly shown to be very dangerous, and that hands-free is almost as bad as hands-on. The photo to the left is an actual real-life 520 driver who drove dangerously while talking on the phone. Please, for your safety and ours, hang up the phone.
3 comments:
I guess now I have a good excuse to be a bluetool
I'm usually pretty responsible when talking and driving (short calls only and I turn off my music and don't try to tie my shoes at the same time...)
this is negligent driving, and should be ticketed as such
RCW 46.61.525
maybe talking on the phone is 'reasonably careful' therefore the new law?
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