A Washington state lawmaker has renewed her effort to require drivers in the state to keep their hands off their phones. She isn't alone in her pursuit to curb distracting activities while behind the wheel.

For the eighth time during her tenure in the statehouse, Sen. Tracey Eide, D-Federal Way, has introduced legislation that would ban hand-held cell phone use while driving in the state. Talking on a phone equipped with a "hands-free" device would still be permitted.

The measure calls for making driving while using a hand-held phone a secondary offense - meaning drivers would have to be pulled over for another violation, such as speeding, before they could be ticketed for talking on the phone.

A separate bill would ban text messaging while driving. Law enforcement would have authority to pull over offending drivers.

Sponsored by Rep. Joyce McDonald, R-Puyallup, the bill would prohibit operating a motor vehicle while reading, writing or sending a message on an electronic wireless device.

One other bill focuses on beginning drivers.

People who hold instruction permits and intermediate licenses would be prohibited from using hand-held and hands-free devices while driving, under a bill offered by Rep. Dawn Morrell, D-Puyallup. Violation of the ban would be a primary offense.

The bills would exempt using the devices for emergency calls.

Currently, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York have the only statewide laws restricting cell phone use in vehicles. In 2008, California is slated to implement their own rule, with several more states still debating whether to adopt similar rules.

Eide wrote in the bill that "while wireless communications devices have assisted with quick reporting of road emergencies, their use has also contributed to accidents and other mishaps . When motorists hold a wireless communications device in one hand and drive with the other their chances of becoming involved in a traffic mishap increase."

However, more studies show that hands-free and hand-held phones are equally distracting. Opponents of cell phone restrictions also say that talking on cell phones is no more distracting than eating, drinking or changing radio stations while driving.

In fact, research by the University of North Carolina determined that cell phone use ranked eighth in terms of distraction, The Patriot-News reported.

Eide's bill - SB5037 - is in the Senate Transportation Committee. McDonald's bill - HB1214 - and Morrell's bill - HB1153 - are in the House Transportation Committee.

- By Keith Goble, state legislative editor
keith_goble@landlinemag.com