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Local Law Enforcement Increases Distracted Driving Patrols

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More than 150 law enforcement agencies around the state, including the Auburn Police Department, are adding extra patrols looking for distracted drivers beginning Thursday, March 28 through April 14. It is illegal for drivers to hold cell phones, access information or watch videos while they are driving, stopped in traffic or at a stop light. Violators are charged $136 for the first offense and $234 for the second.

Participating law enforcement agencies in King County include:

apd, auburn police department, auburn wa, city of auburn policeAlgona Police Department
Auburn Police Department
Bellevue Police Department
Black Diamond Police Department
Burien Police Department
Covington Police Department
Des Moines Police Department
Enumclaw Police Department
Federal Way Police Department
Issaquah Police Department
Kenmore Police Department
Kent Police Department
Kirkland Police Department
Lake Forest Park Police Department
Maple Valley Police Department
Mercer Island Police Department
Newcastle Police Department
Pacific Police Department
Port of Seattle Police Department
Redmond Police Department
Sammamish Police Department
SeaTac Police Department
Seattle Police Department
Shoreline Police Department
Snoqualmie Police Department
Tukwila Police Department
Washington State Patrol

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“As drivers, if we’re on the road, we need to be off the phone,” said Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) Target Zero Manager Annie Kirk. “Officers are looking for distracted drivers and writing tickets. Fortunately, most Washington drivers are making safe choices and keeping their hands off their phones.”

Kirk pointed to a November, 2018 WTSC observational study that found hand held cell phone use was down 40 percent in 2018 from 2017. King County distracted driving rates decreased from 10.2 percent to 7.0 percent.

WTSC also recently recorded interviews with young drivers from around the state explaining what they do to keep themselves and friends and family from driving distracted. Bekkah Myers, from Bellingham, whose close friend was in a serious crash due to a distracted driver, offers practical advice.

“I normally turn my phone off when I drive, put it in the cup holder till I get where I need to go. I tell my friends I’m going somewhere so don’t text me…it can take less than five seconds to destroy someone else’s life.”

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Sara Wood, Target Zero Manager for south King County, says it’s important to realize that other types of distraction, not just cell phone use, are dangerous. WTSC’s observational study found that distractions like eating, tuning a radio, or attending to pets or children had increased significantly.

“Drivers can dangerously lose their focus on other activities that shift their focus and full engagement from driving, which the E-DUI law calls ‘dangerously distracted,’” Wood said. “Any type of distraction increases crash risk. Studies show that it can take nearly 30 seconds to regain your attention on the road after focusing on something else, even for just a few seconds.”

Christina Cox, a driver from Tacoma, was in a serious crash because she was distracted by the few seconds it took her to reach for a tissue while driving.

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Patrols may also find people who are breaking the E-DUI law but don’t know it. Wood said, “The law is easy to follow. If you’re on the road, you need to be off the phone, whether driving, stopped at an intersection or in traffic. Your only job behind the wheel is to be a safe driver, and that means keeping your eyes and mind on the road and your hands on the wheel.”

Auburn City Code:

Auburn’s city code encompasses more than electronic distractions that may cause distracted driving.

A. It is unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle in an inattentive manner upon any highway within the city or way open to the public within the city that is maintained primarily for public use and is adjacent to any highway.

B. For the purpose of this section, inattentive manner means the operation of a vehicle in a manner that:

1. Fails to maintain a careful lookout for persons or property in the direction of travel, or

2. Evidences a lack of:

a. Attentiveness required to safely operate the vehicle:

i. Under the prevailing conditions, including, but not limited to, the nature and condition of the roadway, the weather conditions, the presence of pedestrians, or the presence of other traffic; or
ii. Caused by the driver directing focus or attention to something other than driving the motor vehicle; or
b. Attentiveness that would permit the driver of a motor vehicle to observe anything resting on, or traveling on, or entering the roadway in time to take appropriate action as circumstances require.
C. For the purposes of this section, the term “highway” is defined as set forth in RCW 46.04.197 and the term “way open to the public” is defined as set forth in WAC 200-200-015(8).
D. The offense of operating a vehicle in an inattentive manner shall be considered to be a lesser offense than, but included in the offense of, negligent driving  in the second degree as set forth in RCW 46.61.525.
E. A violation of this section shall be a traffic infraction punishable by a monetary penalty of $250.00, plus all mandatory court costs, fees, and assessments. (Ord. 6466 § 1, 2013.)

If you’re driving, that is all you should be doing. #itcanwait

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