Federal Assistance & Driving Distracted

It's the law, but we do it anyway. People continue to use cell phones while they drive for all kinds of activities but new research shows potentially unsafe mental distractions can persist for as long as 27 seconds after dialing, changing music or sending a text using voice commands. At the 25 MPH speed limit in the study, drivers traveled the length of nearly three football fields during this time. When using the least distracting systems, drivers remained impaired for more than 15 seconds after completing a task. The research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety raise new and unexpected concerns regarding the use of phones and vehicle information systems while driving.

The federal government approved Washington Governor Jay Inslee's request for federal disaster assistance for emergency work related to this summer's devastating wildfires. Congressman Dan Newhouse hopes for more assistance in the near future.

NEWHOUSE: This assistance will allow for critical support for emergency work and repair of infrastructure facilities that were damaged by the fires. I think a much needed step in the right direction but I am certainly hopeful that individual assistance that would provide some relief to impacted homeowners and businesses would be forthcoming as well.

That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.