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New cell phone, texting laws begin Thursday
Beginning Thursday, Camas police officers will institute a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to ticketing drivers they see violating the new state cell phone and texting laws. On March 26, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed Washington Senate Bill 6345, which makes text messaging and cell phone use without a hands-free device while driving a primary offense. The law takes effect on Thursday. Violators will receive a $124 fine. "Come the 10th, we're not going to cut any slack, basically," said Camas Sgt. Doug Norcross. "It's not something drivers need time to get used to. If you do it, you're going to get a ticket." Another stipulation of the new law states that individuals with an instruction permit or intermediate license (typically drivers ages 16 to 18) may not use a cell phone anytime while driving, even if they have a hands-free device. Washington has had a ban on text messaging while driving and a law against talking on a cell phone while driving without a hands-free device since January 2008, but up until now both were considered a "secondary enforcement law." This means that a driver would only receive a ticket unless he or she had been pulled over for another driving violation.