Distracted Driving Legislative
Stakeholder Meeting
December 5, 2014
Washington Traffic Safety Commission
1
WTSC Background
Commission
 Target Zero Strategic Plan
 Funding

◦ Mostly federal
 Gas tax dollars for behavioral change efforts
 New Federal Transportation Authorization
(every 6 years or so)
MAP-21
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MAP‐21 Implementation
Distracted Driving
3
Distracted Driving Law
23 CFR 1200.24 Law Requirements:
 State must enact and enforce a texting law and a
youth cell phone use law.

Texting law must prohibit texting through a
personal wireless communications device while
driving.

Youth cell phone use law must –
◦ Prohibit youth cell phone use through a personal
wireless communications device while driving;
◦ Require distracted driving issues to be tested on
driver’s license examination.
4
MAP‐21 Definitions

Texting means “reading from or manually
entering data into a personal wireless
communications device, including doing so
for the purpose of SMS texting, e‐mailing,
instant messaging, or engaging in any other
form of electronic data retrieval or
electronic data communication”

Driving means “operating a motor vehicle
on a public road, including operation while
temporarily stationary because of traffic, a
traffic light or stop sign, or otherwise…”
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Texting & Youth Cell Phone Must
Make a violation a primary offense;
 Specify a minimum fine of $25 for a first
violation;
 Provide increased fine for repeat
violations within 5 years.

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Only the Following Exceptions:
Contacting emergency services;
 Emergency services personnel in
performance of official duties;
 FMCSA regulations (CMV driver and
school bus driver).

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Sample Non‐Qualifying Texting Law

No person shall use a handheld mobile
telephone for texting while operating a
moving motor vehicle on any public road.

Definitions:
◦ “Texting” means to read, write or send a
text‐based communication to any person,
commonly referred to as text message, instant
message or email.
◦ “Mobile telephone” means a telephone that
operates without a physical, wireline connection
to the provider’s equipment.
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UW MEDICINE │ INJURY CONTROL
DISTRACTED DRIVING
Beth Ebel, MD, MSc, MPH
Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center
University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Hospital
King County Prosecutor’s Office
Public Health - Seattle and King County
December 4, 2014
DISTRACTION IN ACTION
Distracted driving video
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DISTRACTION AND CRASH RISK
Relative Risk of Near Crash Event
25
23.2
21.3
20
blood alcohol .08
15
Cell phone
10
Text messaging
blood alcohol 0.19
5
4
4
0
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DISTRACTED DRIVING
• Distracted driving behaviors
are hard to change
• Drivers support legislation restricting texting
and mobile phone use; however they
continue to use these devices, irrespective of
laws and injury risk
• Compulsive, automated behavior (O’Connor,
Ebel 2013)
• High visibility enforcement needed to change
behavior; history of success (seat belts,
impaired driving)
Dr. Ivan Pavlov
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DISTRACTED DRIVING STUDY
Goal:
Improve implementation and enforcement of
distracted driving laws
Aims:
1. Measure distracted driving in Washington
State
2. Measure citations for distracted driving
3. Identify factors promoting effective
enforcement of distracted driving laws
4. Share study findings with decision-makers
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DISTRACTED DRIVING STUDY
Design:
• 7900 drivers observed at
controlled intersections in 6
large counties
Results:
• Nearly 1 in 10 drivers (9.5%)
were using cell phones or
texting behind the wheel
•
Nearly half of distracted
drivers were texting or
manipulating a wireless
communication device
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TEXTING AND TALKING AMONG DRIVERS
USING A PORTABLE WIRELESS DEVICE
Talking on
cellphone
(phone
away from
ear)
3.8%
Talking on
cellphone
(phone to ear)
38.1%
Talking on
cellphone
hands free
10.2%
Texting
47.4%
Talking hands-free (bluetooth headset)
Texting or visible manipulation of handheld device
Talking on cellular phone (phone to ear)
Talking on handheld phone (speaker)
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CITATIONS IN 6 WASH. COUNTIES, 2010-12
Texting
3%
Intermediate
driver license
distraction
0%
Inattention
28%
Cell phone
69%
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DISTRACTED DRIVING CITATIONS
AND OBSERVED BEHAVIOR, 6 COUNTIES
County
Citations
for Distracted Driving
2010-2012
Observed
Distracted Driving
2013
(per 1000 licensed drivers)
(% of drivers at controlled
intersections)
Cell phone
citations
Texting
citations
Snohomish
18.0
0.76
4.3
King County
8.3
0.42
9.0
Yakima
8.0
0.20
8.6
Spokane
7.7
0.29
14.5
Whatcom
7.5
0.33
12.5
Pierce
6.2
0.61
5.4
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LISTENING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT
Participants
27 law enforcement officers in 3 counties
Key findings
1. Distracted driving is impaired driving
2. Tickets more effective than warnings
3. Update state distracted driving laws
4.
•
Cover all handheld phone practices
•
Clarify risk at intersections while driving
•
Close loopholes (“just dialing”)
•
Increase penalties for repeat offenders
Adopt best-practice policies to limit
distracted driving in police
departments
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PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE CHANGES
•
•
Senate Bill 6227 proposed in 2014
•
All handheld distraction covered
•
Remove “phone to ear” provision
•
No exclusion for stop signs/stop lights
•
Increasing penalty for second offense
SB 6227 brings law into compliance
with federal standards
•
New opportunities for federal funds (portion of
$17.5 million)
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DISTRACTED DRIVING:
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
1. Strengthen public health efforts to
support effective enforcement of
distracted driving laws through
education, social marketing, and
outreach to law enforcement
partners
2. Support ongoing measurement of
distracted driving
3. Consider resolution to update
Washington Distracted driving laws
4. Adopt policies and consequences
to limit distracted driving in the
performance of county work
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UW MEDICINE │ INJURY CONTROL
QUESTIONS?
WTSC DISTRACTED DRIVING
PROGRAM
•
Cell/Texting High Visibility Enforcement Campaigns
• April 2014 – U Text. U Drive. U Pay.
• April 1-15, 2015
• Locally Coordinated HVE throughout
the year
•
Annual Grant Process
•
January 2015 for 2015/16 funding
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WTSC DISTRACTED DRIVING
PROGRAM
• State Farm Grants to high schools
• Sam Thompson’s Story
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Law Enforcement Challenges Video
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