Distracted driving is as bad as it's ever been and it's only going to get worse.

But in Washington state, Olympia is about to get tough.

Distracted driving legislation has cleared the state House in Olympia and now it's on to the state Senate where it's sure to undergo a few tweaks before going to the Governor for his signature.

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The measure would ban holding handheld devices while driving. Those devices include phones, tablets and other electronic gizmos.

Outside of "the minimal use of a finger" to activate, deactivate or initiate a function on a device, it shall be illegal beginning in January 2019 for a driver to hold any device with his or her hands while driving, including while in traffic or waiting for a traffic light to change.

It's extremely rare these days to NOT find someone face down in their phone at nearly EVERY stop light.

If it doesn't stop, there will be plenty of $235 incentives for second and subsequent offenses to curb the behavior. The penalty is currently $136 if caught texting or holding a phone up to the ear while driving.

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