State of Washington to ban the use of a hand-held mobile phone while driving
Washington is to become the fourth US state to ban the use of a hand-held mobile phone while driving.
The law would go into effect Jan. 1, 2008 (same as California). The ticket would cost drivers $101 and it would not be reported to insurance companies. Using a hand-held phone while driving would be a secondary offense.
Drivers would still be allowed to use “hands-free” cell phone devices such as headphones or an earpiece.
According to the 2007 Pemco Insurance Northwest Poll, 85 percent of Washington drivers believe that talking on a cell phone while driving should be legal only if the driver has a hands-free device, or made illegal altogether.
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., all have laws prohibiting the use of hand-held phones while driving. California passed a similar law that will go into effect in 2008.
Read more about this new law on Seattle post-Intelligence web site and the Seattle Times web site
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