I am very happy that it is now a law in California. I get pretty tired of sitting behind some dummy on the phone while doing 45 in a 65 zone. Their reactions are slow and usually to the extreme. They never use turn signals as they'd have to let go of the wheel, heaven forbid they let go of the phone instead. When they see brake lights in front of them, the slam on the brakes, when traffic resumes to normal speed, they take miles to get back to speed and as a result leave 20 car lengths ahead of themselves. Some studies in Europe show that those on the phone while driving are worse than drunks. Phone in ear, head up a$$.

LOL I absolutely agree, MJD. It's about time that this law got implemented.

With all the teenagers talking on their cell phone while driving, how long do you think their parents will stand having to pay $$$ mucho bucks for fines?

Agreed, how many times have you either been hit, or almost hit by a woman doing her makeup? Hey Bozo the Clowness, put it on at home!
And somehow Police, Fire Fighters and Emergency personnel have "special powers" that allow them to drive and talk without being distracted? HMMM must of been born on another planet............

As a retired fireman (my check was from $98 - $198 a year) I can tell you back in 92 or 93 when I signed on with my local at the time fire department we had to go to driver/radio training. you learned when to and not to talk on the radio. In most states there are laws there that already ban driving well on the phone or texting. In my state (ma) its the same law that gets you a $100.00 ticket for: doing your hair, using head phones well driving, drinking from a cup or anything eles that would block your vison or distract the driver. In one town a few years back they where righting tickets to people on there cell phones if they where in a crash. It did not matter if they where the one that hit someone or someone hit them.

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alspaintballmods.com

I suppose some people believe that they're great at multitasking!

But driving a vehicle on the road especially in congested traffic and/or at high speed requires every faculty in order to safely operate the vehicle in order to prevent injuries, death and property damage. Reaction time is a critical component to safe operation. It is a Privilege to be able to drive a vehicle not an inalienable right!

A slight distraction especially at a wrong moment may cost the health and welfare of oneself and others in the immediate area and may result in taking a life.

Is it worth a self-indulgence to be able to talk on a phone taking one hand away from the steering control and simultaneously requiring the brain to focus on the conversation(distraction) and the ever-changing traffic situation? As a minimum the response time increases due to the distraction and greatly adds to the possibilty of not reacting in a timely manner.

Why are there so many accidents in vehicles (not only relative to phones)?

Adding one more distraction( hand-held phone) is not at all acceptable!

All states should enact the banning of hand held phones while driving a vehicle. And in my opinion the fines levied should be increased substantially to make it stick!

If the conversation is that critical - find a safe spot to pull over and out of traffic and then the conversation can be carried on to infinity! Is everything, all the time that important to have to be talked about immediately? I don't believe that - it's a lack of consideration for others and self-indulgence that has the highest priority! Or better know as just plain selfishness!!

If you don't care about yourself - well that's not a good attitude - but neither is not caring about others!!

Unreal! +Why just not permitTV viewing or computer screens to be viewed while driving+? NOT!!!

Hard to believe that California or any other state would permit texting. Texting most definitely must be outlawed!! Not only is the attention of the driver diverted from observance of the traffic scene but the focus is on the device to transmit text. +Which becomes more important the text or the road+?

As others have stated, it's the distraction caused by the conversation that is the real issue, and not just caused by cell phones.

The real issue is "driving with undue care and attention", which is an offence in most jurisdictions. No new laws are needed. Just enforce existing traffic laws.