California’s youngest drivers soon will be prohibited from using mobile devices while at the wheel.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill – SB33 – into law making it illegal for teens under 18 to use any type of cell phone, pager, text messaging device or laptop while at the wheel.

“The simple fact is that teenage drivers are more easily distracted. They are young, inexperienced and have a slower reaction time. We want to eliminate any extra distractions so they can focus on paying attention to the road and being good drivers,” Schwarzenegger said in a written statement.

The new rule takes effect July 1, 2008, the same day that drivers 18 or older must begin using phones equipped with a hands-free device. Among the exemptions listed in the restriction for those drivers are for using push-to-talk two-way, or “walkie-talkie,” devices that are popular in the trucking industry. The two-way device exemption will be in place until July 1, 2011.

Both laws make violation of the restriction a secondary offense – meaning a person would have to be pulled over for another violation before they could be ticketed for talking on the phone.

Teens found in violation of would face $20 fines. Repeat offenders would face $50 fines. It exempts emergency phone calls.

This action in California follows a National Transportation Safety Board report that recommended novice drivers be prohibited from using cell phones while on the road.

The safety board says that young drivers account for only 7 percent of the driving population but are involved in 15 percent of fatal accidents. Distracted drivers take 1.5 seconds longer to respond to hazards, the agency says.

Opponents say there already are laws to prevent distracted and unsafe driving. Others say using the phone while at the wheel isn’t a distraction for drivers, including teens, who are responsible.

Currently, about 15 states forbid young drivers to use phones while behind the wheel. In addition to California, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey are the only other states that have bans on all drivers from using hand-held phones. Washington is slated to begin enforcement of their own law in 2008.

To view other legislative activities of interest for California, click here.

– By Keith Goble, state legislative editor
keith_goble@landlinemag.com