WWU police to offer no grace period on enforcement of cell phone law

The Western Washington University Police Department has announced it will not offer a grace period when texting while driving and failure to use a hands-free device become primary traffic offenses on June 10.

It is common for the state patrol and other law enforcement agencies to offer an educational grace period when a new law requires drivers to change long-standing behavior.

“Drivers have already had nearly two years to adjust their driving habits,” said Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste. “We will fully enforce this law from day one.”

Western Police Department officers will follow the same course, according to Chief Randy Stegmeier.

Laws prohibiting texting and requiring hands-free devices took effect in 2008 but have been considered secondary violations. Officers had to witness some other infraction in order to make a traffic stop. The new designation as primary offenses mean police can stop drivers for a texting or cell phone violation alone.

The texting and cell phone requirements are intended to save lives and reduce injuries by eliminating these two major sources of driver distraction.

“We want our community to know that we are taking immediate action to discourage the continued use of these devices while driving,” Stegmeier said.

The following guidelines are provided as suggestions to avoid being cited for this offense, for which the fine is $124.

• Purchase a “hands-free” device for use with your cell phone.
• Connect or activate your vehicle’s “hands-free” system if one is installed.
• Turn-off your device, or place it totally out of reach while driving if you cannot resist the temptation to use it.
• If you must make or take a call while driving without a “hands-free” device, exit the roadway to a safe spot such as a parking lot; stop and then make your call (Don’t just pull to the side of the road; get completely off the roadway to be safe).

To learn more about the potential consequences of distracted driving, visit http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/distracteddriving.html.