The Driving Under the Influence of Electronics Act is working

OLYMPIA, Wash. - A few years have passed since the Driving Under the Influence of Electronics Act went into effect. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission reported that in 2016 there were 155 deaths because of distracted driving. In 2019, two years after the new law, 33 fewer distracted driving-related deaths occurred.

Erika Mascorro, WTSC Program Manager said, “The data shows that Washington culture around distracted driving is changing. With Washingtonians at home observing the governor’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order, now is a good opportunity to review the importance of being an attentive driver, so our families will be safer when we all return to the roads.”

“As we watch the culture change around phone use while driving, now is a good time to encourage drivers who have figured out how to keep their cell phones from distracting them to share their skills,” said Mascorro. The traffic safety culture survey showed that most Washingtonians (83 percent) reported encouraging a driver to put the phone down when they find themselves as a passenger with a distracted driver.

...more people are distracted on city streets than county roads or state routes.

The WTSC survey says Washington distracted driver rate was 6.8% lower in 2019. Two of every three distracted drivers in Washington, were observed either using or talking on a hand-held phone. The observational study also found slightly more people are distracted on city streets than county roads or state routes.