Not all that long ago, driving under the influence of alcohol often was greeted with a nod and a wink — an acknowledgement that it’s probably not a good idea but isn’t really that big of a deal. The same can be said for driving without latching on a seat belt, which was considered a matter of personal freedom.
But increased attention to those behaviors, along with strict laws and changing public mores, have helped make the roads safer for all of us. According to national statistics, traffic fatalities have gone from 10.89 per 100 million miles traveled in 1940, to 3.35 in 1980, to 1.11 in 2010. Undoubtedly, safer vehicles have contributed to that, but so have changes in public policy.
Now, with the rise of smartphones presenting a new kind of danger on the roads, legislators should take the next step in protecting the public. Washington’s decade-old law governing cellphone use behind the wheel needs some updating to meet changes in the behavior of drivers and to drive home (pardon the pun) the notion that distracted driving is dangerous. Legislators have been stuck in neutral (pardon another pun) on this issue, which points out the need for passage of House Bill 1371 or companion Senate Bill 5289, sponsored by Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center.
Currently, Washington law only prohibits texting or phone calls in which a wireless device is clearly held to a driver’s ear. This leaves tacit approval of checking Facebook or downloading apps while driving. The new bills would prohibit the use of any handheld device while driving, with limited exceptions for a finger stroke on a navigation device. They also would double the fine — currently $124 — for a second or third offense of distracted driving.