Crime & Safety

Stuck in Traffic? WSP Suspects Texting to Blame

Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste said the agency is beginning to suspect that many low-speed collisions are caused by distracted drivers traveling at relatively low speeds.

This happened just a few days ago when I was merging onto the highway: The car in front of me failed to speed up in time for the freeway. Now I'm having to squeeze past as more cars pile quickly behind me.

When I glanced over at the driver, he's fidgeting with his phone and has no clue about what's happening around him. Ugh!

Sadly, similar incidents are happening more often and stalling more drivers on the road.

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According Chief John R. Batiste, the Washington State Patrol is beginning to suspect that many collisions are caused by distracted drivers traveling at relatively low speeds.

“You and I are sitting in traffic, going nowhere, because someone ahead of us was texting,” said WSP Chief John R. Batiste. “We think texting is a factor in far more of these minor collisions than we’ll ever be able to prove." 

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Have you been stuck behind a distracted driver who was talking or texting on the phone? How do you teach your kids from talking or texting while driving? Tell us in the comments section below.

Today’s guidance is a departure from the State Patrol’s historic practice of offering advice only when they have objective data, he said. The State Patrol knows with great certainty the number of people killed by speeding, impaired driving or the failure to wear a seat belt.

Not so with texting-while-driving in collisions which cause only minor property damage. Traffic violations that lead to minor collisions are civil infractions, not crimes.

“We do not have the legal authority to get search warrants for cell phone records in cases of minor collisions,” Batiste said. “Our priority in those cases is to get traffic moving again.”

In 2012, the Washington State Patrol cited more than 1,000 drivers for texting at the wheel, according to the Washington State Patrol. More than 6,600 drivers were cited for talking on their cell phones without using a hands free device. 

Batiste said that texting while driving is risky behavior, regardless of your speed. He urged drivers to put down their phones, period.

The fine for any cell phone violation is $124. If the traffic violation results in a collision, additional fees could be added.

Source: Washington State Patrol


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