Distracted Driving - Using Cell Phone While Driving

You must put all your concentration on the road while driving.

While driving, if you do any other thing other than focusing on the task of driving and concentrating on the road, you’re considered a distracted driver.

The driving distraction is considered more dangerous and chances of getting into an accident increases substantially if you hold and use your cell phone while driving; therefore, California Office of Traffic Safety has been fostering the phrase “Put Your Phone Down. Just Drive” and there are laws that are passed in California that make it illegal to hold and use your cell phone in your hand while driving.

California Laws Regarding Using your Phone While Driving:
It is illegal to hold and use a cell phone or any other electronic communication device while driving.

California Laws Pertaining Using a Cell Phone or an Electronic Communication Device that Applies to Drivers Under the Age of 18:

If you are under the age of 18, it is illegal to use your cell phone or any other electronic communication device in any manner while driving; this means whether you’re using your cell phone in a hands-free manner or not, you would be breaking the law if you use your cell phone while driving.

The only exception to this rule is if you would need to use your cell phone for calling emergency services such as calling a law enforcement agency, health care provider, or fire department.

California Laws Pertaining Using a Cell Phone or a Electronic Communication Device that Applies to Drivers Over the Age of 18:

If you are over the age of 18, you can use your cell phone in a hands-free manner as long as you follow below rules:

• You do not mount your cell phone in an area of your dashboard or windshield that blocks your vision from watching the road in any way.
• You use your cell phone in a hands-free manner
• You use the cell phone speaker or earpiece on one ear. It is illegal to use earpieces, or earbuds inside both ears while driving.
• You do not operate your cell phone that is mounted in any manner that takes your concentration away from the road.

Below are the exceptions to the rules relating to the above Distracted Driving laws, which for the most part applies to the drivers over the age of 18:

• The rule does not apply for using your cell phone for calling emergency services such as calling a law enforcement agency, health care provider, or fire department.
• The rule does not apply to the built-in communication systems that come with the vehicles.
• The rule does not apply to the emergency service professionals that would be using wireless devices while operating authorized emergency vehicles.
• The rule does not apply to the drivers who are operating a school or a transit bus and using the cell phone or a wireless communication device as part of their job duty.
• The rule does not apply to drivers who are driving on private property.