New Law Will Impact 4.6 Million Licensed Drivers in Washington
Despite the imminent nature of Washington’s new legislation requiring
all drivers to use hands-free devices while talking on cell phones, many
are unfamiliar with the details of the law, including when it goes into
effect and the consequences for non-compliance. According to a new
survey by TNS and Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT), the worldwide leader in
communication headsets, 60 percent of Washington drivers don’t know when
the new law goes into effect and 78 percent don’t have a strong
familiarity with what it encompasses.
On July 1, 2008, Washington will introduce its new hands-free
legislation affecting 4.6 million drivers.1 The Plantronics survey,
which polled 400 licensed drivers in Washington, also found that 40
percent of respondents weren’t familiar with the consequences for not
complying with the law. Other findings include:
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Sixty percent of Washington drivers admitted to regularly talking on
their cell phones while driving; their primary reasons were:
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To keep in touch with family members (63 percent)
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To take care of work-related issues (19 percent)
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To catch up with friends (8 percent)
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Sixty percent of Washington drivers believe that headsets help
eliminate physical distractions when performing driving tasks
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Seventy-five percent of Washington drivers would recommend that their
friends and loved ones use a headset
Details of Washington’s Hands-free Legislation
Under the new law, drivers cannot hold cell phones to their head while
on the road. Hands-free devices such as headsets and speakerphones are
mandatory when using a cell phone while driving.
Not abiding by the hands-free law is a secondary offense. Drivers will
be stopped if they are found to be driving unsafely or if they are in
violation of other laws. There will be no grace period and no warning
tickets issued. Fines will be $124 for the first and subsequent
violations.
Safety Tips for Hands-free Devices
Plantronics offers the following tips for keeping both hands on the
wheel and both eyes on the road when using your cell phone and
hands-free device while driving:
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Trial Run: Practice using your phone and headset together
before you drive. Familiarize yourself with the headset controls.
Adjust the fit and the microphone on your headset, check the headset
settings on your cell phone and stow the phone so it’s out of your way
but still accessible.
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Be Prepared: Program all your frequently called numbers into
your phone. This includes your boss, your kids’ babysitter and your
favorite neighborhood pizza place. And don’t forget about voice
dialing; most phones have that option, so use it as much as possible.
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Set Up for Success: Just as you check your rearview mirror and
secure your seatbelt before driving, be sure to put your headset on
and ensure it’s connected properly to your phone.
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Driving Comes First: Remember your first priority is driving.
You should only place and receive calls when it’s absolutely necessary.
“It’s important for Washington drivers to not only familiarize
themselves with the hands-free law, but also the options available to
them to ensure compliance before the law goes into effect,” said Clay
Hausmann, vice president of Corporate Marketing, Plantronics. “We
recognize that Washington drivers have many different needs, so we offer
a wide variety of headsets that fit individual preferences and style.
Regardless of the model, all Plantronics headsets deliver the audio
performance, ease-of-use and comfort that customers have come to expect
for the past 47 years.”
Visit www.plantronics.com/driversafety
to learn more about the law, find the hands-free solution that’s best
for you, and read up on more driving safety tips.
Plantronics recognizes that there are occasions when driving
circumstances make talking on a mobile phone – handheld or hands-free –
unsafe. In these instances, motorists should pull over or hang up to
protect the safety of themselves, their passengers and others on the
road.
About Plantronics
In 1969, a Plantronics headset carried the historic first words from the
moon: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Since
then, Plantronics has become the headset of choice for mission-critical
applications such as air traffic control, 911 dispatch and the New York
Stock Exchange. Today, this history of Sound Innovation® is the basis
for every product we build for the office, contact center, personal
mobile, entertainment and residential markets. The Plantronics family of
brands includes Plantronics, Altec Lansing and Clarity. For more
information, go to www.plantronics.com
or call (800) 544-4660.
Altec Lansing, Clarity, Plantronics and Sound Innovation are trademarks
or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc.
1 Washington State Department of Transportation, 2005.
