On the heels of the first-ever statewide distracted-driving extra enforcement campaign, law enforcement officers will be out once again searching for not only unbuckled drivers but also distracted drivers as part of the annual “Click It or Ticket” patrols.
The extra patrols in Clallam and Jefferson counties begin Monday and will continue through June 1.
During the distracted-driving campaign April 10-15, 15 cellphone and texting violations were written in Clallam County.
Jefferson County didn’t participate in that campaign, but the Port Townsend Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office will be out in force during the upcoming Click It or Ticket campaign, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.
In Clallam County, the Port Angeles and Sequim police departments and deputies with the Sheriff’s Office and State Patrol will participate with the support of the Clallam County DUI Target Zero Task Force.
State Patrol troopers will participate in both North Olympic Peninsula counties.
Who’s supporting it?
The patrols are supported by the Clallam County DUI Target Zero Task Force and the Jefferson County Traffic Safety Task Force.
The statewide “handheld cellphone use” law came into effect in June 2010.
Prior to that law taking effect, on average, 700 drivers were cited for cellphone use per month statewide.
After the law went into effect, the number of motorists cited for cellphone use increased and has stayed consistent at about 4,000 per month, the traffic safety commission said.
Likewise, after the primary seat belt law took effect in June 2002, seat belt violations initially increased, and then the seat belt use rate increased, the commission said.
“This model of high-visibility enforcement has proven to change behaviors and is now being applied to distracted driving,” the commission said.
Last year, during this same time period, officers on extra patrols statewide issued 2,963 seat belt violations among the 11,666 motorists who were stopped.
Also last year during this time period, 1,897 cellphone and texting violations were written statewide.
These and all extra patrols are part of Target Zero, which aims to end traffic deaths and serious injuries in Washington by 2030.
For more information, visit www.targetzero.com or www.wtsc.wa.gov.