OAKLAND, California (Reuters) - California on Friday banned motorists from talking on cell phones unless they use a headset or speakerphone, although the law will not take effect until July 1, 2008, to allow time to educate the public.



Gov.Arnold Schwarzenegger, who signed the measure, urged Californians not to wait until then to put down their phones while driving, citing government data showing those who held their phones while driving were involved in 15 times more accidents than those with hands-free setups.

"The simple fact is that it is really dangerous to talk on a cell phone and drive at the same time," Schwarzenegger said. "It's very important for people to know ... stop using the cell phone right now, because you are putting people at risk."

Schwarzenegger joked he told his teenage daughter he would take her car away for years if he caught her talking on the phone while driving. "I said I will be driving behind you sometimes and you will not know. I will be spying," he said.

Violators will be fined $20 the first time they are caught and $50 the second time. The new law makes exemptions for those placing emergency calls while driving.

Several other states, including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, have similar bans. California, with 37 million people, is the most populous U.S. state.

 

About time. Too bad it doesn't go into effect instantly. Seems like every third person or so I see driving is yakking on the phone at the same time and paying hardly any (if any at all) attention to their driving.

"Hang up and drive! It's a car, not a phone booth with wheels!"

 

They should have added a zero to each of those two numbers to better catch peoples attention. What they have above are parking ticket penalties, hardly a deterrant.

 

New York passed their law a couple of years ago. Still see lots of people driving with the cell glued to the side of their head.

I've had cell users do really stupid things in front of me. Good thing I was paying attention instead of yakking on a phone.

I agree w/ Dan:

SHUT UP AND DRIVE!

 

About time. Now if only my state would do it.

 

states that pass those laws are run by idiots. talk about a totally politcally driven "feel good" law, what a crock! so let me get this right the physical act of holding a cell phone to ones ear is what destracts people while driving a car and not the actual phone conversation itself. heck i can drive around all day with my hand next to my head and not be the least bit distracted. i would like to see this "government data" they talk about. if they want to make a difference, ban talking on cell phones in vehicles all together, but we all know that will not happen. so i guess we will have to live with the fact that some elected officials who would rather pass laws that, at least, seam like they are helping people rather than actually helping them...............its good to have an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out!

ps. i am not directing the post at anyone in this thread just my opinion on the subject

 

exactly right, heck i drive on long trips with my head resting on my hand, is it a distraction? heck no! nor is eating....its the phone conversation itself that is the distraction, those hand free sets do not solve any cell fone driving problem, my dad is a perfect example of it, when he talks on his hand free, his driving goes straight down the gutter.

 

The dialing and pushing buttons is a large part of the distraction (and you're gonna have that even with hands free) but another thing I notice is that when you've got a cell phone pressed against your head, you only have one hand to drive with so unimportant things like shifting gears and using turn signals go right out the window. (Not that anyone around here uses their signals anyway, cell phone or not!)

 

This is not about changing peoples behavior, it's about taking them to the cleaners in civil court. Won't be hard to prove, OBD stores vehicle speed, cell phones have call logs. Ju$t another attempt at putting a price on $tupid.

LMAO! How about those Darwin Awards?!?!?!?!?!

 

Here in the state of Old People and Tourists, you can not believe what these idiots do while on a cell phone. Left hand turn from the right lane, running stoplights, etc. I have seen many rearend collisions because someone was on a cell phone, in rush hour traffic, and not paying attention.

Pictures this...

A 91 year old driving a car. He has had his license renewed by mail for the last 15 years. He's driving on a 4 lane road, talking on a cell phone. He center punches a guy crossing the road in a cross walk. Running a light. Then 2 miles down the road, hits 2 other cars. He keeps on driving and talking on his cell phone. The cops stops him. He says he did not know he hit and killed a the guy and did not know he hit 2 other cars.

True story.

Maybe if he wasn't on the cell phone, the guy would still be alive. Then again why do states let people drive that have no business doing it! That includes anyone of any age the drive with a cell phone stuck in their ear.

If you're busy talking, how can you be paying attention to how you're driving?

 

Usually when I see people using headsets while they are driving. They seem to be (lost the word I was thinking of) using they hands more to talk.

 

I agree - it's having the conversation, not just holding the phone, that's the problem. When I leave work right at 5 pm I feel like I have to drive like I'm invisible (totally amazing that people cannot see a 7000-lb, 22-ft long pickup bearing down on them!) because EVERYONE has a phone glued to their head, not paying attention, changing lanes without looking, not moving witht the flow of traffic, stoppng when the light is still GREEN, yadda, yadda, yadda. I'd rather wait 30-minutes to leave so that all the phone calls are done when I hit the road.

My husband runs his pest control business out of his truck. He totally disagrees with me. He talks on the phone while he's driving all the time. Now, having been with him when he's driving & yacking, I can tell you that he drives like he's drunk when he's on the phone. But he doesn't think so. It'll be interesting to see how the new law affects him. I don't think the fines are enough to deter the behavior. Twenty bucks - big deal...

~~~~~TrekChick

 

Cannot wait until they do this In Texas. I can't tell you how many times a week I have to yell at some idiot soccer mom in a Dodge mini-van to get the hell of the damed phone and drive.

Get off the phone and drive!

 

Thanks big brother for watching out for us! IMO-Stupid law. I can talk and drive. I do it all the time and have to for business. But I wouldn't expect any less from California.

If it's not cell phones, it'll be something else. Changing the radio, talking to passingers, fighting with kids, drinking coffee, putting on makeup, etc.

Mike

 

Actually, California already has a law on the books that makes it illegal to do anything while driving that distracts you from the task of operating the vehicle. This includes eating or putting on makeup, reading the paper, whatever. Not too well-enforced however.