California to bar teens from using mobiles, laptops whilst driving

California certainly won't go down as the first place to ban cellphones whilst driving, but if Governor Schwarzenegger signs a new bill into law, mobiles won't be the only thing teens can't operate while behind the wheel after July 1, 2008. The bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by the Assembly, prevents anyone "under the age of 18 from using their cellphone," even with handsfree devices; as if that wasn't enough, any "mobile service device" -- such as "walkie-talkies, pagers, two-way messaging devices, PDAs, and laptops" -- will also be illegal for teens under 18 to use while driving. If signed into law, violators will reportedly be fined "$20 for the first offense, and $50 for subsequent offenses with no violation points on the driver's record."

[Via Textually]

[Christian Gravemaker @ Aug 30th 2007 7:55AM]

The title says 'bar' instead of 'ban' or is this a funny?

[psxp @ Aug 30th 2007 8:08AM]

no, quite correct English. The 'Queens' English not Yankee/North american/Canadian english...

To Bar someone is...

" something that obstructs or prevents passage, progress, or action: as a : the destruction of an action or claim in law"

[Joey Schenning @ Aug 30th 2007 8:08AM]

@ CG: No, it fundamentally means the same.

Why is this big news? Maryland has had the same stuff since October 1st of 2005. Quoted right from our MVA's website:

"Learner's permit holders under 18 may not use any wireless communication device, including a cell phone, while driving, except to make an emergency 911 call. Violations may result in the suspension of one’s driving privilege for up to 90 days." (http://www.marylandmva.com/DriverServ/ROOKIEDRIVER/lawcompare.htm)

The aforementioned "wireless communication devices" sound a whole lot like the "mobile service devices."

Sorry Engadget. Old news.

[ak @ Aug 30th 2007 8:08AM]

no it makes sense, Bar: anything that obstructs, hinders, or impedes; obstacle; barrier: a bar to important legislation.

[fredo @ Aug 30th 2007 8:06AM]

i cannot believe that it is legal to drive while using a mobile in US !!!
crazy people :-) LOL
try to do that in Australia or Europe you will not keep your licence for long.

[psxp @ Aug 30th 2007 8:09AM]

come live in Canada or the US.. you would be surprised what we can do here!

[ak @ Aug 30th 2007 8:13AM]

while this is a good thing for drivers who are still learning, but I hope that this is not a sign of things to come. To me it just seems like a goverment is going to far by banning mobile phone usage for all drivers.

[Bruce A @ Aug 30th 2007 9:46AM]

Mobile phones are a distraction from everything you need to concentrate on driving, and I don't have valid statistics but I'd wager they're responsible for more than a few of the road accidents that occur each year. Banning the use of distracting devices while driving isn't a bad thing :)

[mikey81 @ Aug 30th 2007 10:31AM]

It is legal to use a mobile while driving in the UK, but only hands free. It seems silly to try and list all the devices, here you can be booked for doing anything which impairs your ability to drive, folks have been booked for eating and drinking at the wheel, if done in a manner which makes you take your eyes off the road/hands off the wheel. Its called "Driving without due care and attention" the scariest one I have seen is a truck driver driving with a newspaper draped over the steering wheel.

[Jeff @ Aug 30th 2007 5:12PM]

Definitely a GOOD thing, but needs to be across the board, with a little stiffer penalties (why no points?). More than a few accidents have been caused by distracted drivers. That's innocent people maimed or killed for others' convenience. Driving a couple tons of metal at high speeds is not a privilege to be taken lightly, when are people going to figure that out?

[crashin2U @ Aug 30th 2007 8:10AM]

Why is this limited to teens?
I thought anything of that nature was illegal to begin with? Aren't you supposed to have two hands on the wheel at all times according to RMV laws?

And if anyone is using a laptop while driving, suspend their license!

[coplice @ Aug 30th 2007 8:19AM]

when you drive an automatic you can keep your 2 ahnds on the wheel
but think most of those driving manual only have 1 hand on the wheel even if they dont need to shift right away :p
i now i dont haha

i agree with the bar, it should be the same everywhere and for anyone, i remmember a few times when some fucking moron changes lines without watching and force me to break hard or change line to avoid the accident by ppl using a cell

[Brian @ Aug 30th 2007 9:13AM]

Why is this limited to teens? If they did it to everyone, the lawmakers would not get reelected. So, they do it to the people who can't vote. Evidently, they don't need their rights....

[Joey Schenning @ Aug 30th 2007 10:13AM]

man, I've seen people on the freeway doing 65-70 while on a cell phone, laptopping, and that rather fundamental thing... Driving. Why this isn't illegal yet, I don't know why...

[Damien @ Aug 30th 2007 11:32PM]

"Why this isn't illegal yet, I don't know why..."

because not enought people in powerful positions have lost loved ones due to it.

[Arramol @ Aug 30th 2007 8:19AM]

I can't use my laptop? Blast it, do you know how hard it is to set up my desktop in shotgun?

[McHoffa @ Aug 30th 2007 8:47AM]

"$20 for the first offense, and $50 for subsequent offenses with no violation points on the driver's record."

so no actual consequences, just a cash cow...

[spam_from_engadget @ Aug 30th 2007 9:12AM]

Yes; if you're paying $x/month on call charges, this will in effect increase that to 1.01*$x/month (depending on the enforcement rate): hardly much of a deterrent.

Compare it with the penalty fares you're charged if you're caught using a bus/metro/train without a ticket. These are routinely calculated to be large enough that it's cheaper in the long run to always buy a ticket - and that's for an offence that doesn't have a safety implication.

The fine here in Britain is higher, but still less than letting your dog shit in the park.

[M Ritchie @ Aug 31st 2007 5:48AM]

spam_from_engadget don't forget that in Britain you get 3 points on your license which is a much bigger deterrent IMO. Here the only thing points make is a fitter you as you have to walk everywhere after loosing your license at 12.

[loci @ Aug 30th 2007 8:49AM]

those low fines will not stop anyone.
you can cause an accident, kill someone and only get 6-8 months in jail.
the law truly is an ass

[Derrick @ Aug 30th 2007 9:11AM]

Wow - it was bad enough when they were making laws that specified it was illegal to use a cellphone while driving - now they want to specify that it's illegal for TEENS to use a cellphone while driving.

What's next? A law that makes it illegal for teens to use a specific brand of cellphone while driving (ignoring the fact that they already made it illegal to use any cellphone while driving).

All of this falls under the long standing laws against DISTRACTED DRIVING. Already a criminal offence - the existing laws just need to be enforced.

[thassell @ Aug 30th 2007 5:27PM]

The existing law in california simply states a hands free device must be used while driving and using a Cell phone.

The new law states the anyone under 18 cannot use any type of device hands free or otherwise while driving.

Drama much?

[mdesrosiers @ Aug 30th 2007 9:12AM]

Its the same for Virginia, and its been that way for a while.

[iczer2 @ Aug 30th 2007 9:45AM]

More like teens have trouble paying attention to the road enough as it is without having the added distraction of cellphones and other messaging devices. I seem to remember a study out there done with teen drivers and indicated that a teen driving while talking on a cell phone was equivalent to an adult driving drunk.

Scary stuff...

[p3ngwin @ Aug 30th 2007 9:20AM]

why is this only for teens?
the idea should be for anyone, regardless of age.

also, trying to restrict and over-define the devices is ridiculous. what of GPS services, they are "hands free wireless ". idiots.

[Chris @ Aug 30th 2007 11:34AM]

yeah, but most gps units cannot be used while driving. atleast the ones that are factory installed

[Brian @ Aug 30th 2007 1:00PM]

I have seen stuff like this too. But I have seen the same results for people who are over 18. What is the big difference?

I have no problem with the ban. I do have a problem that the ban is only for people under 18.

[snap @ Aug 30th 2007 10:04AM]

This has been illegal in the UK for christ knows how long now, and from what I can remember it's been pretty successful in reducing road accidents, how anyone can think that this ISN'T a good idea strikes me as quite amazing

[Maff @ Aug 30th 2007 10:23AM]

from the UK too, but what you have to realise is that nearly all cars in the US are automatics making it easier for them to drive ('cos they're all lazy)

[JBo @ Aug 30th 2007 10:40AM]

Now we just need to extend the age to everyone and it will be effective. Its not just kids who are not paying attention while they are on the phone or texting or whatever.

And while we're at it, anyone applying makeup while driving should be executed.

[scum1 @ Aug 30th 2007 10:40AM]

It is for teens because they are the worse drivers already. Try insuring a teen driver sometime. Really though I think they should ban it for everyone though. Man if I could slap every moron who does something stupid while on a cell in a car my hand would be numb and broken.

[Jack @ Aug 30th 2007 10:48AM]

$20 such a steep deterent (sicc) Here in Australia its $275 for the first offense and 3 demerit points (Teens only have 4 points on their license)

[js @ Aug 30th 2007 11:29AM]

I thought in Europe, that you were allowed to talk on a cell phone as long as you had a hands free device.

This law would ban people from using a cell phone even with a hands free device.

Though if you were going to talk to someone over the cars bluetooth system, not really sure how you could get a ticket for that. You could just tell the officer you were talking to yourself.

[artifex @ Aug 30th 2007 11:45AM]

Before you think this sort of legislation is needed, and that people already know better, I recently heard that a friend of an acquaintance died in a collision because the other driver was a teen who was texting at the time. This may not stop it happening again, but at least it will be easier to charge the next idiot teen despite their lawyers claiming they should get off light for being under age.

[js @ Aug 30th 2007 11:55AM]

I think a law like this is needed, but I think banning hands free devices is too much.

If you are able to have both hands on the steering wheel and able to look straight ahead while dialing (through voice), receiving a call (through a button that probably isn't any further away then your radio buttons), and while having a conversation with someone over the phone then why not allow teens to use handsfree devices?

[KerryB @ Aug 30th 2007 11:49AM]

While I'd philosophically prefer to side with Derrick (@ Aug 30th 2007 9:11AM), the ambiguity of "distracted" driving is, in practice, difficult to enforce. I don't think there's a problem with MORE laws per se, if what they do is clarify. But then, I don't particularly like the structure of our legal system... it oughtn't to be as deterministic as a computer program, but it often feels a bit arbitrary.

Anyway, to the topic at hand, I side with the "not far enough" crowd. Teens aren't the only risk here. Granted, this is anecdotal and non-scientific, but I find a strong correlation with cell phone usage and idiotic vehicular activity. I always look for the phone when I see someone doing something stupid and it seems to me like the overlap is significant.

Of course, lots of people are just plain bad drivers, with or without the phone.

[macona @ Aug 30th 2007 12:27PM]

Why not ban listening to the radio as well? Studies have found playing around with the radio causes more accidents than phone use. As well as eating in the car and women putting on makeup. Each of these have higher incidents than mobile usage.

[Danny @ Aug 30th 2007 3:44PM]

A lot of those studies are bogus though since they ignore the frequency of the activity. A lot more people play with the radio a lot more often, so of course there will be more accidents caused by that in absolute terms. I saw a food study that said coffee caused more accidents than eating burritos or soup, of course it does! Everybody seems to drink coffee while driving, but your chances of crashing while you eat a sloppy burrito are probably much higher, it's just that most people realize that's a terrible idea.

[akimball @ Aug 30th 2007 12:35PM]

Better solution: Let them use whatever they want and just BAN them from driving until they are 18! Or better yet ban them from driving until they are 24. Um, maybe even older (...let's see... how old was I on my birthday this year?? oh, um, I remember...) how about banning them from driving until they are 50! And while we're at it, I think every over the age of 52 should be banned too!


(Until next year.)

[Ratchet the Lombax @ Aug 30th 2007 1:23PM]

Well I use my cell phone while driving and I have no problems concentrating at all. But then again I can do two things at once, I'm kinda clever that way. Given that they say that there will be no points on the drivers record I see this as just being a way to make money. I don't see this being enforced that much anyway, I mean most 16-18 year old kids already dress and look like their atleast 21 (especially girls). So how are you going to tell their age by just seeing them driving while on a cell phone? Are the police just going to pull someone over that they "think" might be 18 only to find out that they are 20? It'll be like "Oh I'm sorry you looked under 18 so I stopped you for talking on your cellphone but I was wrong have a good day."

[salimos @ Aug 30th 2007 2:20PM]

GOOD. i hope all cell phones get banned in all 50 states while driving. people are evidently just too stupid to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time.

[Jeff Lewis @ Aug 30th 2007 3:20PM]

Wait... it's necessary to ban the use of laptops or text messaging WHILE DRIVING????

Christ - the correct response is 'you do that and you don't get to drive anymore - ever'.

And Ratchet, how nice that you can multitask (actually everyone can, but no one - yourself included can do two things at the same time as well as you can do either one if done one at a time). However, even we assume you're right - what about that guy in the other car who can barely DRIVE reliably and who is now being distracted by a conversation on a handsfree cellphone while a PDA giving him directions while his laptop is playing a movie in the seat next to him.

Unfortunately, most drivers aren't as skilled or blessed (or as lucky) as you claim to be.

As for those arguing that the radio is as distracting as a cellphone - sorry, no. Yes, the radio is distracting and sound arguments can be made for controlling that - but there's a major difference. A radio is passive - you can ignore it when you need to or even turn it off. Most people use radio as a background noise source and tune it out. But a phone conversation is active - you HAVE to concentrate on the conversation. Similarly, texting requires you to think about what you're going to say and then key it in. I don't even want to go into using a laptop...

[Philometalist @ Aug 30th 2007 3:44PM]

Sounds like a great way to extort even more money from the youth of America.

[bradwarren @ Aug 30th 2007 4:51PM]

This law should ban everyone from using their cell phone or other hand-held device. You have no idea how poorly people drive when they're on the phone. BTW this doesn't prohibit using a cell phone at all, just prohibits you from HOLDING it while driving. Using a wireless head piece is still legal.

[Mike @ Aug 30th 2007 5:21PM]

FACT: Before cell phones were common teens were discouraged from messing with the radio while driving, b/c it was linked to a higher accident rate.

Cell phones can be a problem but are they any worse than the person gabbing with their passenger and looking at them to do so? What are you going to do pull them over for having a passenger?

Stricter requirements on getting a license in the first place is about the only real way to make the road safer.

Regardless, $20 fine isn't even close to being comparable to the "crime". This stinks of political stunt.

[Onefastgta @ Aug 30th 2007 5:24PM]

Wow not 20 dollars. I may have to go break open my piggy bank.


Our government is always talking about making roads safer and dropping speed limits down to a crawl (55 mph highways in some places) but when it comes down to the real problem (People not paying attention) all they do is give them a wimpy 20 dollar fine. To make it even worse they are only penalizing teens.

[Onefastgta @ Aug 30th 2007 5:32PM]

A better punishment would be for the cop to take away your cell phone and make you watch as he spikes it on the asphalt. Ive wanted to do that to few stupid people over the years.

[jpmidura_305 @ Aug 30th 2007 5:32PM]

No one, reguardless of age, should be allowed to use a laptop while driving.

[r3loaded @ Aug 31st 2007 1:09AM]

Oh. My. God. And I thought the law was a joke in jolly ol' England.

$20 fine? And only for under 18s? WTF?

Here, using a handheld phone while driving results in an immediate £60 ($120) fine with 3 points on your licence - the same penalty as speeding. Though handsfree kits are fine, the cops can still pull you over if they feel you were being "distracted" by a handsfree call.

I'm currently in India, despite the world-famous crazy Indian driving here, people still pull over to answer a phone call (mostly). Why Americans seem to be incapable of this is still beyond me.

[maximus @ Aug 31st 2007 7:32AM]

This is mad!

Here in the UK everyone is banned from using mobile phones whilst driving. It's obvious if you've got one hand on the steering wheel and another holding your phone and your just chatting you're bound to have a crash. This barely even passes as news really, apart form the absurdity of it. Having a petty fine is a stupid punishment too, there should be much stricter rules there