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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Editorial: Revive bill on cellphone safety while behind the wheel

Every once in a while a bill comes along that is so obviously sensible, we just assumed it passed.

Such is the case with SB 5656, which deals with distracted driving and cellphones. Last we checked, it passed the Senate. But, as it turns out, the bill died in the House Transportation Committee.

Before getting into the details, a quick pop quiz. Which of the following are explicitly forbidden for drivers under Washington law?

A) Updating your Facebook status.

B) Sending a tweet.

C) Exchanging messages on SnapChat.

D) Reading and sending email.

E) Surfing the Web.

F) Watching video.

G) Texting.

H) Holding the phone to your ear and talking.

I) Playing Candy Crush.

If you guessed any letter but G and H, you failed. As did the Legislature, when it turned down the opportunity to update its 2007 law to make all of those dangerous maneuvers illegal.

Many people already believe that it’s illegal to use a cellphone while piloting a 2-ton hunk of metal. But, incredibly, as long as they’re not texting or conversing, they’re good to go.

This may come as good news for drivers whose addiction overrides their conscience, but it’s highly dangerous. Studies show that texting drivers increase their crash risk by 23 times. There’s no reason to believe other phone manipulations are any safer.

The state became a national leader when it passed its cellphone law in 2007. But later that year, Apple released its first iPhone, and the law became obsolete and virtually unenforceable. Before that, traffic officers could be fairly certain a phone was being used illegally. Now they can’t tell whether drivers are texting or tweeting – the latter being legal.

With the support of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Sen. Ann Rivers, R-Vancouver, sponsored SB 5656, which made it illegal to hold a cellphone while driving. Motorists would have to pull over first. The bill exempted emergency services calls. On the second offense, the bill would raise the penalty from $124 to $209 and inform the driver’s insurer.

The bill passed the Senate on a 35-14 vote. The House Transportation Committee held a hearing that featured the same expert testimony the Senate panel heard, including from a pediatrician who attends to the victims of horrific crashes.

But the bill died in committee. Rep. Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, chairwoman of the House panel, told the Everett Herald that the measure didn’t have enough votes, but that it could possibly emerge during horse-trading to reach a final budget.

The arguments against the bill are similar to those voiced when the 2007 bill passed: Cellphones aren’t the only problem. The bill infringes on personal liberty. And yada yada. But the critics don’t offer solutions. Their arguments are merely another form of distraction.

When did we lose sight of the very basic fact that cars are transportation, not mobile entertainment centers?

Lawmakers should revive the bill and update the law to reflect today’s technology. It’s an issue requiring their undivided attention.