distracted driving legislative stakeholder meeting december 5, 2014 washington traffic safety...
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Distracted Driving Legislative Stakeholder MeetingDecember 5, 2014Washington Traffic Safety Commission
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WTSC BackgroundCommissionTarget Zero Strategic PlanFunding
◦Mostly federal Gas tax dollars for behavioral change
efforts New Federal Transportation Authorization
(every 6 years or so)MAP-21
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MAP‐21 ImplementationDistracted Driving
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Distracted Driving Law23 CFR 1200.24 Law Requirements: State must enact and enforce a texting law
and a youth cell phone use law.
Texting law must prohibit texting through a personal wireless communications device while driving.
Youth cell phone use law must –◦ Prohibit youth cell phone use through a personal
wireless communications device while driving;◦ Require distracted driving issues to be tested on
driver’s license examination.
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MAP‐21 DefinitionsTexting means “reading from or manually
entering data into a personal wireless communications device, including doing so for the purpose of SMS texting, e‐mailing, instant messaging, or engaging in any other form of electronic data retrieval or electronic data communication”
Driving means “operating a motor vehicle on a public road, including operation while temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic light or stop sign, or otherwise…”
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Texting & Youth Cell Phone Must
Make a violation a primary offense;
Specify a minimum fine of $25 for a first violation;
Provide increased fine for repeat violations within 5 years.
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Only the Following Exceptions:Contacting emergency services;Emergency services personnel in
performance of official duties;FMCSA regulations (CMV driver
and school bus driver).
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Sample Non‐Qualifying Texting LawNo person shall use a handheld mobile
telephone for texting while operating a moving motor vehicle on any public road.
Definitions:◦“Texting” means to read, write or send a text‐
based communication to any person, commonly referred to as text message, instant message or email.
◦“Mobile telephone” means a telephone that operates without a physical, wireline connection to the provider’s equipment.
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UW MEDICINE │ INJURY CONTROL
DISTRACTED DRIVING
Beth Ebel, MD, MSc, MPHHarborview Injury Prevention & Research Center
University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Hospital
King County Prosecutor’s Office
Public Health - Seattle and King County
December 4, 2014
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DISTRACTION AND CRASH RISK
Series10
5
10
15
20
25
4 4
23.221.3
Relative Risk of Near Crash Event
blood al-cohol .08Cell phoneSeries3Text messagingblood alcohol 0.19
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• Distracted driving behaviors are hard to change
• Drivers support legislation restricting texting and mobile phone use; however they continue to use these devices, irrespective of laws and injury risk
• Compulsive, automated behavior (O’Connor, Ebel 2013)
• High visibility enforcement needed to change behavior; history of success (seat belts, impaired driving)
DISTRACTED DRIVING
Dr. Ivan Pavlov
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Goal: Improve implementation and enforcement of distracted driving laws
Aims:1. Measure distracted driving in Washington State2. Measure citations for distracted driving3. Identify factors promoting effective
enforcement of distracted driving laws4. Share study findings with decision-makers
DISTRACTED DRIVING STUDY
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Design:• 7900 drivers observed at
controlled intersections in 6 large counties
Results:• Nearly 1 in 10 drivers (9.5%)
were using cell phones or texting behind the wheel
• Nearly half of distracted drivers were texting or manipulating a wireless communication device
DISTRACTED DRIVING STUDY
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TEXTING AND TALKING AMONG DRIVERS USING A PORTABLE WIRELESS DEVICE
Talking on cellphone hands free
10.2%
Texting47.4%
Talking on cell-phone (phone to
ear)38.1%
Talking on cellphone (phone away from
ear)3.8%
Talking hands-free (bluetooth headset) Texting or visible manipulation of handheld deviceTalking on cellular phone (phone to ear) Talking on handheld phone (speaker)
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CITATIONS IN 6 WASH. COUNTIES, 2010-12
Cell phone69%
Inattention28%
Texting3%
Intermediate driver license distraction
0%
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County Citations for Distracted Driving
2010-2012
(per 1000 licensed drivers)
Observed Distracted Driving
2013
(% of drivers at controlled intersections)
Cell phone citations
Texting citations
Snohomish 18.0 0.76 4.3
King County 8.3 0.42 9.0
Yakima 8.0 0.20 8.6
Spokane 7.7 0.29 14.5
Whatcom 7.5 0.33 12.5
Pierce 6.2 0.61 5.4
DISTRACTED DRIVING CITATIONS AND OBSERVED BEHAVIOR, 6 COUNTIES
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Participants
27 law enforcement officers in 3 counties
Key findings
1. Distracted driving is impaired driving
2. Tickets more effective than warnings
3. Update state distracted driving laws
• Cover all handheld phone practices
• Clarify risk at intersections while driving
• Close loopholes (“just dialing”)
• Increase penalties for repeat offenders
4. Adopt best-practice policies to limit distracted driving in police departments
LISTENING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT
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PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE CHANGES
• Senate Bill 6227 proposed in 2014• All handheld distraction covered
• Remove “phone to ear” provision
• No exclusion for stop signs/stop lights
• Increasing penalty for second offense
• SB 6227 brings law into compliance with federal standards• New opportunities for federal funds (portion
of $17.5 million)
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1. Strengthen public health efforts to support effective enforcement of distracted driving laws through education, social marketing, and outreach to law enforcement partners
2. Support ongoing measurement of distracted driving
3. Consider resolution to update Washington Distracted driving laws
4. Adopt policies and consequences to limit distracted driving in the performance of county work
DISTRACTED DRIVING: OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
UW MEDICINE │ INJURY CONTROL
QUESTIONS?
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• Cell/Texting High Visibility Enforcement Campaigns
• April 2014 – U Text. U Drive. U Pay.
• April 1-15, 2015
• Locally Coordinated HVE throughout the year
• Annual Grant Process
• January 2015 for 2015/16 funding
WTSC DISTRACTED DRIVING PROGRAM
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• State Farm Grants to high schools• Sam Thompson’s Story
WTSC DISTRACTED DRIVING PROGRAM
