Advocates meet at capitol with Gov. Inslee to applaud E-DUI law

It was December 2015 when Tina Meyer’s son Cody was hit by a distracted driver while working as a flagger at a construction site.

“He was my youngest, he was my baby bear,” Meyer said, fighting back tears.

Cody Meyer suffered severe injuries and died several months later. He was 23.

Now, Tina Meyer works as an advocate to stop distracted driving. She joined Gov. Jay Inslee at the state capitol Monday, praising a new E-DUI law that she says will send a message -- especially to young drivers.

“First, by teaching the new drivers coming onto our roads that this is not acceptable behavior,” Meyer told the crowd.

The E-DUI law, or driving under the influence of electronics, outlaws holding a cell phone in your hand at any time while driving unless you're calling 911 in an emergency. The law even prohibits picking up the phone at stoplights.

The law goes into effect July 23.

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An E-DUI ticket will cost $136. A second ticket within five years will cost $234. The new law also tickets drivers $99 for grooming, smoking, eating, or reading while behind the wheel "if the activity interferes with safe driving and you are pulled over for another traffic offense."

Inslee said in many cases a distracted driver is more dangerous than a drunk driver.

“When you are driving with a cell phone you are a more dangerous driver than if you’re driving drunk with a .08 blood alcohol level,” Inslee said.

A state trooper demonstrated a virtual reality simulation of driving while distracted during the presentation. The video puts the viewer behind the wheel to show how even a quick check of the screen can lead to disaster.

“You go to check it, you look up, and there’s all [kinds of] different things going on,” trooper Cody Fath said. “Cars are in front of you, people walking, and you just don’t have time to react.”

AT&T is making the virtual reality simulation available free for iPhone on the app store. Search AT&T "it can wait" to access the app.

Cox Media Group