OLYMPIA, Wash. - The Washington Senate has approved a measure that makes it easier for police to pull over drivers who use a cell phone without a handsfree device.

On a 33-15 vote Friday, the Senate passed a bill that makes it a primary offense to be caught holding a cell phone to your ear while driving. That strengthens the state's current law, which only slaps drivers with an extra fine if they are caught holding a cell phone when pulled over for another infraction, such as speeding.

The bill passed Friday also outlaws any cell phone use by a driver with a learner's permit or an intermediate license, which is given to drivers under 18 years old.

The bill was introduced after statistics showed that the distraction of talking on a cell phone while driving causes accidents.

Between 2006 and 2008, the Washington State patrol linked 3,000 accidents to talking on a cell phone.

The Senate measure banning cell phones while driving now heads to the House, where a similar bill was sponsored by Rep. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle.

"Driving with a cell phone is incredibly dangerous and the fact is that people overwhelmingly get more distracted using a cell phone than anything else," he said