Submitted by the San Juan County Sheriff’s office

The new distracted driving law goes into effect on July 23. The new law makes it illegal to use hand-held electronic devices while you are driving. You must now be 100 percent hands-free. Under Washington state law this is a primary offense which means you can be pulled over for holding your cell phone. Tickets for driving while using handheld electronics will go on your record and be reported to your insurance provider.

San Juan County experiences a huge influx of people walking, running, biking and driving on our roadways. Our job is to keep everyone on the roads safe, including the person using the cell phone. The San Juan County Sheriff’s office will be actively looking for people both talking and texting on their cell phones.

Please pull over to the side of the road if you have to use your cell phone. Let’s all have a happy and safe summer.