Driving in Washington State will hopefully be a lot safer this summer. Last month, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed into law the Driving under the Influence of Electronics Act, a new distracted driving statute that fixes shortcomings with the state’s outdated earlier laws, and highlights the importance of updating laws to fit our changing world.

This law is an important step in making our roads safer and allows Washington to keep up with the times in terms of technology that we use. The previous distracted driving laws, Pullman Police Cmdr. Chris Tennant said, did not go far enough because they only banned texting and driving. The new law bans use of all electronics while driving, with a few reasonable exceptions.

“This is an attempt by the legislature to update the laws to current practice,” Tennant said. “When [the old law] was put out, it was kind of obsolete and made it very difficult from a law enforcement perspective to enforce because, what if they’re using a different app, other than texting?”

The exceptions to the use of electronics include drivers using a GPS app with the phone placed in a dashboard cradle, a built in navigation system or calling 911 for emergencies.

In addition to the electronics statute, this bill also allows police to write secondary traffic citations for drivers who engage in “miscellaneous distractions,” such as doing their hair, eating or searching the backseat.

“Going to work,” Tennant said, “people are putting their makeup on, brushing their teeth, and if you are a danger, you can be cited for that.”

Originally, the state legislature planned to enforce the law starting in 2019, but Inslee instead opted to move the effective start date to July 23 of this year.

“Public safety is better served by implementing this bill this year,” Inslee wrote in a message to the legislature, according to The Seattle Times.

Inslee’s concern is valid. There is no reason that we should wait in implementing a common-sense safe driving law that reflects the use of changing technology.

Tara Lee, deputy communications director for the Office of the Governor, wrote in an email that the bill was implemented due to an increase in distracted driving incidents in Washington in recent years, including fatal accidents.

“The governor signed this bill as thousands of people are killed or injured due to distracted driving,” Lee wrote.

Tennant added that in Pullman, residents can expect the police to give out more tickets and less warnings when it comes to distracted driving.

It’s reassuring to see the state government cracking down on a problem that is widespread among all groups and pervasive here in Washington. Making the road a driver’s sole focus when driving matters not only for their own safety, but for others as well.

While this law will not stop all cases of people not paying attention to the road, it will allow police to take more action against distracted driving.

Especially with the advent of new electronic devices, apps and social media, it is important that the state continue to stay aware of how technology affects our lives and public safety. This law is a start, but we must continue to make sure our government understands how things such as cell phones may create the need for new legislation.