OLYMPIA — Washington state officials are turning to traffic-related cell phone data to monitor and potentially improve road safety, with many residents unaware of the new initiative.
Earlier this year, state legislators approved funding to purchase data from mobile applications that track traffic patterns, allowing officials to access information about drivers, such as their speed and cell phone usage while driving. This initiative aims to provide a clearer picture of driving behavior across the state.
“We can see a picture of behavior that we can’t get in any other way,” said Shelly Baldwin, director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, in a statement to KING-TV…