You cannot get a ticket for using a cell phone while driving in Washington State currently in 2007 but that soon will change come 2008. 

In May 2007 the Governor of Washington State signed into law a couple of bills that effect cell phone users. One will make it illegal to use your hands to talk on the phone while behind the wheel of a car. A separate law prohibits people from sending, reading or writing a text message on a cell phone while driving. Under these new laws, drivers who talk on a cell phone without a hands-free device or even worse read and compose text messages while operating a vehicle could face a $101 ticket.

The text-messaging ban takes effect Jan. 1, 2008 while the law requiring drivers to use a hands-free mode while talking on the phone takes effect July 1, 2008. Lawmakers set the effective date for next year to give people time to prepare and obtain hands free devices.

There are exceptions to the law for certain drivers such as those operating emergency vehicles and tow trucks. Also the everyday day driver will be allowed to use their cell phone while driving if they are doing so to report illegal activity or emergencies.

Neither offense, using the phone without a hands free device or texting while driving, will be enough to will be enough to get a driver pulled over by the police as a primary offense. These will be in effect as secondary enforcement laws, meaning that you can get a ticket for holding a phone to your ear only if you have been pulled over for another traffic violation.

According to the information we have read about the Washington State cell phone law supposedly the infraction will not become part of your driver’s record so it will not be seen by insurance companies or employers.

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