PSA: New Distracted Driving Law in WA on 7/23

[aftermath]

Originally Posted by Ultradog

Welcome to the nanny state.

Well, we simply have arrived at a place and time where we can't take care of ourselves. I wish I had more faith in my fellow drivers to pay attention to the road but I have seen far too many paying almost no attention because of the phone to their ear.

We have lots of what I would call "good" laws but the enforcement of them is another story. I live in Washington but doubt that I will ever see many tickets for this infraction. Simply by making a law and publicizing it they feel that they have done their job. Distracted driving has been against the law for a long time in Washington but it has always been a secondary offense. They could only pull you over for something else and then give you a ticket. Now it is a primary offense which means that all they have to do is see you on your phone and that will be it...hopefully.

[Countryboy59]

Cool. That should solve distracted driving which causes 50% of all accidents. That leaves drunk driving (65%), road rage (35%), speed (44%) and mechanics problems (15%). I feel safer.

[FCStreamer]

I wonder when they will outlaw radios in cars. Fiddling with those is worse than a cellphone.

[Ray Eklund]

This F350 Ford 2016 model requires more computer experience to operate the screen and endless options to operate most... everything.

Maybe the visual screen can be converted to Voice Command and I can find a Radio Station and which knobs are for the AC and which are intended for the Radio. Although all the stations I would not listen to... are those the scan picks up. If I understood Spanish, better... those come in strong and the music is better than most of those the radio finds for me.

Back to our connecting to recorded music or listen to my ears 'ring' for a couple hundred miles.

A cell phone... that is nothing compared to this system installed in my Ford. You need a passenger to operate the computer, while the driver fiddles with the mirror adjustments and other knobs, switches and unknowns.

[jcl]

Originally Posted by Ultradog

Welcome to the ninny state.

Fixed it for you. Drive like a ninny, get a ticket or your license suspended. Cause a crash while using a banned device, be found responsible and be held accountable. Seems reasonable.

[Cyclist]

Originally Posted by Ultradog

Welcome to the nanny state.

About a half dozen years ago while travelling along Highway 401 near Brockville, the traffic suddenly came to a near standstill. The right lane was moving slowly so I moved over. A traffic accident? No the cause was a middle age woman busy texting while in the passing lane no less. There ain't no cure for stupid unfortunately.