Washington State Bans Text Messaging While Driving

[mandy]

Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire yesterday signed this country’s first law putting the kibosh on the dangerous practice of text messaging while behind the wheel of a moving automobile. … Bully for her.

Lawmakers in the other Washington should take note and follow suit, but in the meantime several other states, including New Jersey, are considering similar legislation...

A major weakness in the Washington law is that it allows for enforcement of the no-texting-while-driving provision only when the driver has already committed another traffic offense...

full article: http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=node/15088

[bargainbloodhound]

A major weakness in the Washington law is that it allows for enforcement of the no-texting-while-driving provision only when the driver has already committed another traffic offense...

Why even bother having the law if it has huge loopholes like that.  :

[BellisimaJ.]

[quote author=bargainbloodhound link=topic=10581.msg53012#msg53012 date=1179069259]

A major weakness in the Washington law is that it allows for enforcement of the no-texting-while-driving provision only when the driver has already committed another traffic offense...

Why even bother having the law if it has huge loopholes like that.  :
[/quote]

What a stupid loophole.  :  Further, they need to ban the use of handheld cells while driving in every frickin state. In the last few years, I've narrowly avoided at least 4 major accidents because people were on their cell phones while driving.
Last year, I had an accident in late July, that nearly totaled my car. I was found not at fault. The other driver, in a commercial vehicle, was on her damn cell phone. This was in a busy area near the airport. Damn--- this topic really makes me angry.