State Driving Law Legislation

State Senator Joe Simitian, the author of California’s cell phone and text messaging laws is back to increase fines and expand the scope of distracted driving laws in California.

If the bill is signed into law in it’s current form it would accomplish the following:

The fine for first time hands free law offense would increase from $20 to $50 and subsequent offense fines would increase from $50 to $100.

The bill would expand the current law and apply the texting and hands free laws to bicyclists.

In addition the text messaging fine would increase to $100. The current fine is $20 for a first offense and $50 for a subsequent offenses.

Violations of either of these laws will also cost a driver One (1) Point on the offenders driving record.

According to his webiste,  recent “Collision and fatality data from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) confirms that California’s streets and highways are safer following the implementation of California’s ‘hands-free’ cell phone law.”

The article goes on to say that “CHP certified numbers from the first six months of the law’s implementation show a 20 percent reduction in fatalities and collisions in California when compared to the same six month period over the past three to five years.”

Impressive statistics and a potential counter-punch to a recent study by the Highway Loss Data Institute that showed little, if any benefit to cell phone laws in general.

To Read the bill for yourself, Please Visit >>>>> California Senate Bill 1475

Senator Joe Simitian’s Past Distracted Driving Legislation

In 2006, Simitian authored Senate Bill 1613 making it illegal for California drivers to talk on a cell phone without a hands-free device (effective 7/1/08),

In 2007 Simitian’s Senate Bill 33 made it illegal for new drivers under the age of 18 to talk on a cell phone while driving, even with a hands-free device, or use any other mobile service device (effective 7/1/08); and

In 2008 Simitian’s Senate Bill 28 made it illegal for drivers in California to send, read or write text messages while driving (effective 1/1/09).