Today is THE Day for the New Cell Phone Law
Posted on July 1, 2008
Filed Under Appeals, DUI, Law, Laws, News, Story, misdemeanor |
Today, July 1, 2008, the new cell phone law goes into affect in California. The law states that all drivers must use a “hands free” headset when talking on the phone in the car. The first offense under this new law will cost a $20 fine, every other offense will be $50. All individuals under the age of 18 however are completely forbidden to use any mobile devise while operating a vehicle. This fine won’t count as a misdemeanor, but simply an infraction. However, this could compound fines and sentences if coupled with other violations such as DUI.
This new law will be enforced differently in different parts of California, as some cities and counties have announced that they will have a 30-day grace period before they will beginning handing out tickets. This law goes into affect only days before the long 4th of July weekend which will see 80% of CHP officers traveling the freeways of California. This will increase the number of DUI stops, tickets, arrests and citations.
The law was designed to protect drivers, as New York claims that over a five year period drivers on cell phones were involved in over 1,100 accidents, while drivers with hands free sets were in barely over 250 accidents.
Not surprisingly, hands free sets and especially “Blue Tooth” head sets were selling very well throughout Southern California.
While there is probably a number of ways to challenge and appeal the law and the fines, the state set the fines low enough ($20 and $50) that most citizens will most likely not challenge these laws at all.
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