Bill to end distracted driving dies in Olympia

Robert LeCompte Jul 9, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Bill to end distracted driving dies in Olympia</h1>
                <h2><p>Washington has banned texting and talking (on your cell phone) while driving since 2007. Senate Bill 5656, as The Seattle Times reports, would have broadened that ban to include web surfing and typing into your GPS. Emphasis on would have. SB 5656 just got voted down in the state'</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/robert-lecompte-crosscut-com/">Robert LeCompte</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://dev.cascadepbs.org/content/images/sites/default/files/images/article/gallery/distracted-driver.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="It" loading="lazy" width="300" height="200"></figure><p>Washington has banned texting and talking (on your cell phone) while driving since 2007. Senate Bill 5656, as <a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/distracted-driving-bill-dies-in-olympia-2/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">The Seattle Times</a> reports, would have broadened that ban to include web surfing and typing into your GPS. Emphasis on <em>would have</em>. SB 5656 just got voted down in the state's House of Representatives. The bill had sailed through the Senate (35 - 14) and enjoyed support of Washington State Patrol officers who, in 2013 alone, ticketed more than 1,200 drivers for texting or talking on cell phones. So, what does the death of 5656 mean for Washington drivers? Texting and chatting on cell phones while at the wheel is still illegal, but feel free to browse the web, update Facebook or watch YouTube videos to your heart's content.</p>
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Washington has banned texting and talking (on your cell phone) while driving since 2007. Senate Bill 5656, as The Seattle Times reports, would have broadened that ban to include web surfing and typing into your GPS. Emphasis on would have. SB 5656 just got voted down in the state's House of Representatives. The bill had sailed through the Senate (35 - 14) and enjoyed support of Washington State Patrol officers who, in 2013 alone, ticketed more than 1,200 drivers for texting or talking on cell phones. So, what does the death of 5656 mean for Washington drivers? Texting and chatting on cell phones while at the wheel is still illegal, but feel free to browse the web, update Facebook or watch YouTube videos to your heart's content.

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By Robert LeCompte

Robert LeCompte is an editorial intern at Crosscut. He studies communications and film at The Evergreen State College where he recently transferred from Maryland. When not working, he can usually be f