Starting on Thursday of this week, law enforcement officers will be cracking down on distracted drivers in Washington State. The extra patrols are part of the ‘U Drive. U Text. U Pay’ national campaign, which is acting in concert with Washington’s Target Zero campaign to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious vehicle related injuries by 2030.
Washington’s laws prohibit the use of handheld communication devices while driving. The joint campaigns will involve officers from more than 100 law enforcement agencies. The ‘crackdown’ will run through April 15, 2014. It is important to note that often a DUI investigation is started only after a seemingly innocuous traffic stop like that of distracted driving. The officer stops a person because he sees the driver talking on a cell phone or texting, and upon contact the officer notices the ‘tell tale signs’ of DUI - bloodshot, watery eyes, the odor of alcohol, flushed face and slurred speech. So drivers best beware … law enforcement officers are looking for more ways than one to ‘skin a cat’. Avoid being the cat, don’t drive distracted.
If you or a loved one gets ‘skinned’, immediately contact a Seattle DUI attorney. A DUI attorney is not going to judge you, and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle DUI attorney to help can – at a minimum – reduce those penalties, and can help direct people on how to best deal with their DUI charge. So it should go without saying that someone cited for DUI should hire a qualified Seattle DUI lawyer as soon as possible. Driving Under the Influence charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with DUI in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle DUI lawyer.