Commission Says Put Down That Phone While Driving
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Washington Traffic Safety Commission is asking state lawmakers to upgrade the texting-while-driving law to bring it from the flip-phone age to smart phone technology.
As passed seven years ago, the law bans texting or holding a phone to the ear while driving.
The Olympian reports (http://bit.ly/ZgbKSm ) surfing the Internet, checking email or sending instant messages on a phone are not specifically outlawed.
The agency is asking the Legislature to update the law to say drivers may use mobile devices only when a car is stopped off the road.
The Washington State Patrol is backing the proposed changes.