1,600 cell phone-driving tickets in first year
6 Comments | Email | Print | 655 views Associated Press
July 01, 2009 - 02:35 PM
Last Updated: July 01, 2009 - 12:38 PM

SEATTLE (AP) — It’s been one year since the law banning the use of hand-held cell phones n Washington took effect.

Since then about 1,600 drivers have received tickets. State Patrol spokeswoman Christina Martin said another 230 were ticketed for texting while driving.

Police told The Seattle Post-Intelligencer they could have written a lot more, but the hands-free law is a secondary offense — meaning drivers are ticketed only when they are stopped for another violation.

Still, the law may be having an effect. In 2006, police reported 1,246 drivers whose cell phone use contributed to a collision, including 27 fatal or serious collisions. Last year, that was down to 827 cases, with 13 fatal or serious.





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I cant count the times I have seen near miss accidents in the cone zone while I am doing road work, and almost every time has been a woman or teenager…

Posted July 10, 2009 - 11:19 AM by brexcavator

Hands free law, hmm.. I wonder when they are going to ticket drivers for having conversations with the passengers? Or ticketing drivers for having screaming,…

Posted July 05, 2009 - 07:33 PM by Jo Roark

Remember, it is ok to use your cell phone while driving if you are reporting someone for littering so that the state can send them a letter.  It…

Posted July 02, 2009 - 06:51 AM by abraham


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