Driving awards remind students of new distracted driving law.

BREWSTER – Brewster High School senior Jennifer Perez got caught last week by Police Chief Nattalie Cariker – for safe driving.
Cariker and Brewster High School staffers were on the lookout for a safe driving student they could recognize as a reminder to all student drivers of a new distracted driving law going into effect in 2018.
They found their candidate in Perez, a licensed and insured driver who met all the criteria of a vehicle operator driving safely, legally and observing 2N2: 2 eyes on the road and 2 hands on the wheel.
Much to her surprise, Perez was given a small award and thank you gift by Cariker thanks to an auto safety grant provided by State Farm Insurance to bring student drivers’ attentions to the new Distracted Driver Law that went into effect last July.
As part of the award presentation, the new cell phone law is recited over the school intercom.
Eveline Roy, Safe Kids Coordinator for the Wenatchee Police Department, came up with the award idea for North Central Washington student drivers.
“I was thinking about good ways to get the new cell phone law to students,” said Roy.  “I thought hearing the law over the intercom would reach all students and we would have their undivided attention.”  
Roy received a grant from State Farm Insurance to help educate high school students about the new cell phone law. As the Target Zero Manager for Okanogan, Chelan, Douglas and Kittitas counties Roy visits schools in the four-county area to present awards with local law enforcement and familiarize students with the new driving rules.
Among the new restrictions are:
• NO hand-held cell phone use while driving, even when stopped in traffic or at a traffic light. This includes all use of electronic devices: tablets, laptops and video games. Using a phone behind the wheel compromises more than a third of your brain power.
• NO text messages, accessing social media, videos or internet searches. Taking photos or video while operating a vehicle is also prohibited.
• You may use your smart device if you are: Hands-free and can start it with a single touch or swipe of your finger, parked out-of-the-flow of traffic, or contacting emergency services.
•  If you have an intermediate driver’s license you may not use a cell phone even hands-free while driving.