Distracted Driving

The Legislature updated the distracted driving laws this session. SB 5289 makes it illegal to hold a personal electronic device in either hand, watch a video, or use a hand or finger to compose, send, read, view, access, browse, transmit, save, or retrieve email, text messages, instant messages, photographs, or other electronic data. The bill does allow the minimal use of a finger to activate, deactivate, or initiate a function on the device. Gov. Inslee signed the bill on May 16 but vetoed the section delaying implementation of the bill. As a result, the bill will take effect this July.