State Patrol hoping drivers will drop their calls

In the first 15 days after a new cell phone law took effect, the State Patrol issued more tickets in south-central and southeastern Washington than it did in any other region of the state.

Of 41 drivers stopped for speeding or other violations, troopers in the region issued 24 tickets for violating the law that makes it illegal to hold a cell phone to your ear while driving, according to statistics released by the State Patrol on Monday.

Statewide, troopers in eight districts issued 113 tickets to 295 drivers stopped during the same time period of July 1 through July 15.

"Those numbers in general don't surprise me," said Lt. Jim Keightley of the State Patrol's District 3, which is headquartered in Union Gap and covers Yakima, Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, Garfield, Columbia and Asotin counties.

The State Patrol said none of its seven other districts issued as many tickets as were given in this part of Washington. The closest was the patrol's District 1, which serves Pierce and Thurston counties, where 18 tickets were issued. Violators can be fined can be up to $124.

Meanwhile, the Yakima County Sheriff's Office and Yakima police say they've yet to write a ticket for illegal cell phone use.

The law makes violating the law a secondary offense, meaning authorities need another reason, such as speeding, to pull over a driver.

That's why other local agencies haven't emphasized the new law as much as the State Patrol, which primarily focuses on driving offenses, said Yakima Police Capt. Greg Copeland.

He said Yakima police have been issuing warnings to motorists caught speeding while talking on cell phones, but his agency wants to give motorists time to become aware of new law.

"We're not cell-phone ticket-writing machines," he said.

Sheriff's deputies have taken the same approach, added Chief Criminal Deputy Ed Campbell.

"Deputies have warned a couple of people, but no tickets," he said.

Troopers, on the other hand, have been using their discretion to keep drivers from being distracted by cell phones, he said.

Of 295 drivers stopped statewide, 180 were given written and verbal warnings.

Of the 41 stops troopers made in this region involving a driver talking on a cell phone, 17 warnings were issued.

In deciding whether to issue a ticket, troopers consider such driver behavior as unsafe lane changes, speeding and turning without signaling as factors, Keightley said.

Most of the tickets issued in this region came from marked patrol cars and were related to drivers speeding while talking on cell phones, he said.

Speeding and following another driver too closely are common problems associated with drivers talking on cell phones, Keightley said.

Only in calls dealing with emergency situations are troopers likely to show some leniency.

"Troopers are going to take a hard look at the type of driving that's going along with the cell phone use," he said. "If cell phone use is a factor in poor driving, then they are most likely going to get a ticket."

* Phil Ferolito can be reached at 577-7749 or pferolito@yakimaherald.com.

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