Clark County law enforcement will have increased patrols focused on distracted driving beginning Thursday.
More than 150 law enforcement agencies across the state are participating in the extra patrols through April 14, according to a press release from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.
“It is illegal for drivers to hold cellphones, access information or watch videos while they are driving, stopped in traffic or at a stoplight. Violators are charged $136 for the first offense and $234 for the second,” according to the press release.
The Battle Ground, La Center, Ridgefield, Vancouver and Washougal police departments, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency and Washington State Patrol are participating in the added patrols, the press release states.
“Washington drivers need to know that if they’re on the road, they should be off the phone,” Washington Traffic Safety Commission Target Zero Manager Hilary Torres said in the press release. “If you’re distracted, law enforcement is focused on finding and ticketing you. Fortunately, there are signs that Washington drivers are increasingly taking safety into their own hands, by keeping their hands off their phones.”
Torres pointed to a November 2018 Washington Traffic Safety Commission observational study that found handheld cellphone use was down 40 percent from 2017.
