As of June 10, 2010, Washington State has a new cell phone law.  The publicity surrounding this law has mainly focused on the fact that the new law changes cell phone violations from a “secondary offense” for which a police officer may not stop you, to a “primary offense” for which a police officer may stop you and give you a ticket.   However, some of the details of this law have not received much publicity.  For instance, you can still make a call using your cell phone while driving so long as you don’t hold the phone to your ear.  Specifically, the law (RCW 46.61.667) states: “a person operating a motor vehicle while holding a wireless communication device to his or her ear is guilty of a traffic infraction.” Therefore, under the law it is legal to place your cell phone into speakerphone mode, hold it in front of your face, and make the call.  How is this less dangerous than holding the phone to your ear?

Every year, Washington State legislature amends the DUI laws in an effort to make the DUI laws even tougher or to “tune up ” the laws. This year’s legislative session resulted in the passage of HB 3124, a law that went into effect June 10, 2010. The law requires that a police officer who makes a DUI arrest must “promptly notify Child Protective Services” whenever a child under the age of thirteen is present in the vehicle.