Wednesday, the Washington State House passed a bill prohibiting teenage drivers from using a cell phone while driving. This ban is a primary offense and includes talking and texting. The penalty is a $124 fine. The House did not pass the portion of the bill proposing to make it a primary offense for adult [...]
Mar
5
2010
5
2010
Mar
3
2010
3
2010
Cell Phone Use While Driving – Primary Offense in Washington State?
Washington State legislatures will be considering whether texting and using a hand held cell phone should be a primary offense. To encourage your legislature to pass the proposed bill, visit Driven to Distraction Task Force of Washington State.
Chief of Harborview Medical Center speaks in a video about the increasing incident of injuries caused by drivers [...]
Feb
9
2010
9
2010
Another State Bans Driver Cell Phone Use
Virginia passed a law banning drivers from using handheld cell phones while operating a motor vehicle. Holding a cell phone while operating a vehicle is a $20 primary offense. Second offense is $50. By 2011, the fine will increase to $200. Virginia is one of only approximately 20 states that [...]
Jan
24
2010
24
2010
Former Student, Distracted By Texting, Kills Bicycling High School Teacher
In Washington State’s first vehicle homicide case involving a driver distracted by texting, 18-year-old Antonio Cellestine was sentenced to 60-months in jail for killing his former Hudson’s Bay High School teacher, Gordon Patterson.
KATU: Man was texting when he hit and killed teacher.
Cellestine was texting his girlfriend when he swerved off the road and hit 50-year [...]
Jan
24
2010
24
2010
Washington State Lawmakers Working to Make Cell Phone Distraction Primary Offense For Drivers
Currently Washington State drivers can be cited for talking on a cell phone or texting only if a police officer pulls them over for some other traffic violation (e.g., speeding, swerving, running a red light, no seat belt, etc.)
Citizens and public officials recognize the serious (and sometimes fatal) risks caused by drivers distracted by cell [...]
Jan
20
2010
20
2010
Washington State Lawmakers Working To Ban BPA From Products for Children 3 and Younger
Following the Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) changed position on the safety of bisphenol-A, or BPA, a widely used component of plastic bottles and food packaging that it declared safe in 2008 in products, The Seattle Times reports that Washington state lawmakers are pushing for new legislation that will protect children under age 3 from exposure [...]
Jan
20
2010
20
2010
Proposed Florida Bill Bans Indoor Tanning For Youth Under 16 Years
In follow-up to Monday’s blog post regarding tanning bed risks and inadequate warnings, comes today’s timely story regarding legislative efforts to protect the unknowing from serious health risks.
“Florida’s Palm Beach Post (1/20, Cerabino) reports, “A national health group called Aim at Melanoma is backing a statewide legislative effort to institute what would be a tough [...]
Jan
16
2010
16
2010
Proposed Bill Would Lower Red Light Camera Fine
Washington State Senator Jim Kastama has proposed Bill 6410, which would reduce the fine for running a red light issued by a traffic camera from $124.00 to as low as $42.00.
Senator Kastama recognizes that the traffic camera law was created to safeguard the public but has quickly shifted to an egregious revenue-generator for cities. Representative [...]
Jan
9
2010
9
2010
NFL Goes To Supreme Court on Antitrust Allegations
Next week the US Supreme Court will be hearing oral argument in American Needle v. NFL, a case that will have permanent affect on NFL football as a business – which will directly affect fans, players and the game overall.
The issue before the Court is does the NFL constitute just one entity, or 32 independent [...]
Jan
5
2010
5
2010
Bellevue Adds Controversial Traffic Cameras
The City of Bellevue is adding two new traffic cameras that will automatically ticket drivers who run red lights at the intersections of 148th Avenue NE & Bel-Red Road and 148th Avenue NE & Main Street.
For the first 30 days, the cameras will just issue warnings to drivers who run red lights. Then, starting February [...]
