Have you ever been stuck behind someone who's too distracted to drive because he was talking on a cell phone? Well, up to 65% of California drivers have admitted they've done it (I personally believe the number is higher) - and come July 1st, it's going to be illegal to talk and drive with a hand held cell phone in the Golden State.
However, since there are a lot of drivers in California, the state's new law has driven cell phone device makers into high gear. This new funny YouTube "hidden camera clip" clip from Parrot, for example, shows driving instructors driven nuts by a kid who won't stop talking on his cell phone! ("I don't have brake, I don't have brake!")
Watch the video here:Here's what you should know about the new California Hands-Free Law (actually, two laws - more on that below):
- Driving and talking using hand-held cell phones is illegal on all California roadways
- Hands-free devices, such as bluetooth handsets, wired headsets and car speaker phones are OK. You can also use the speaker phone function on your cell phone (though you probably have to yell).
- If your phone has the "push to talk" feature, that's illegal to use too.
- First offense: $20, Each additional offense: $50. No violation point, but it will appear on your driving record.
- Exception to the law: calling law enforcement authorities for emergency purposes.
- Exempted from the law: Commercial truck drivers, tow truck drivers and operators of farming vehicles and emergency vehicles. Also, the law does not apply on private roads.
- The California law is primary enforcement: a police may pull you over and give you a ticket for using a hand-held cell phone while driving without any other offense.
Remember that I said two laws? In addition to the hands-free law above, there is another law coming into effect July 1st:
- No driver under the age of 18 can use cell phone, either hand-held or hands-free, while driving. That also means no texting. No pager, too.
- Exception: to call the police, fire or medical authorities for emergency situations
- If you're under 18 and use a hands-free cell phone, the police needs to pull you over for another traffic violation before he can ticket you for this particular offense (it's a secondary enforcement, not a primary one). BUT, if you are spotted using a hand-held cell phone, then that is enough for a cop to pull you over.
More info: California Department of Motor Vehicles
California is actually not the only state to have cell phone driving laws - four other states (Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Washington) as well as the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands have similar laws. See: Governors Highway Safety Associaton's webpage.
The lastest find is a police officer disguised as a regular biker : he waits on the side of the road, looking harmless, but he specialises in spotting people using their phones while driving. Owned, yes.
California, welcome to hell.
Now I only have to worry a bout getting hit by a driver with a chihuahua in their lap.
moral of the story: distractions are dangerous, especially when driving! duh!
Around here, if a law like this was passed, it'd be the cops that would be hardest hit. Most any time I see a cop driving down the street he's talking on a cell phone. And that's with a city ordinance already on the books banning city employees from using a cell phone while driving as part of their job.
This is a loophole that definately need to be addressed!
http://www.Top10BluetoothHeadsets.com
The only way I could determine if a driver with a cell phone would be a danger to me was to see if they have their cell phone held up to their ear.
What CA government should have done was banning cell phones from all Class C drivers while driving. So when any one of them is breaking the law by having their cell phone held up to their ear, everyone else can see that and distance themselves from that driver.