MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Grace period for distracted driving law ends in Washington

Jan 2, 2018, 6:26 AM | Updated: 6:27 am

Distracted driving, Washington, lawmaker...

(File, Associated Press)

(File, Associated Press)

If you’re caught driving while using your phone, you’ll no longer just get a warning.

RELATED: What you need to know about distracted driving

The Washington State Patrol’s grace period expired Monday, KIRO 7 reports.

Now, first-time violators will be fined $136. Get caught a second time, you’ll pay $234.

On top of that, drivers can get dinged for putting on makeup, smoking, eating, or reading while driving. Troopers can fine you an additional $99 for those behaviors if you’re pulled over for another offense.

According to the state Traffic Safety Commission, fatalities caused by distracted driving shot up by about one-third from 2014 to 2015.

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