Personal Injury Blog

California One Step Closer to Higher Distracted Driving Fines

August 23rd, 2011
Distracted drivers are getting more expensive fines.

Stronger penalties are on the way for those who drive while texting.

One of the biggest issues that Los Angeles car accident lawyers have found with California’s current laws against cell phone use while driving is the paltry penalties attached to these violations.  That situation could soon change.  A bill that would substantially increase Distracted Driving Fines has been passed by the California Senate.

Last week, the California Senate voted to send the bill that would impose stricter penalties for motorists found in violation of cell phone laws, to Gov. Jerry Brown.  The bill would increase fines for cell phone violations from $20 currently to $50.  Repeat offenses would also attract increased penalties.  Currently the penalty for repeat offenses is $50.  These would be increased to $100.  Fines for repeat offenses would likely go up to $530, including court fines.  Additionally, repeat offenses would be considered as moving violations, and the motorist would have one point on their license.

Additionally, the bill would prohibit the use of any type of cell phone, texting device, or laptop by teenagers while driving.  The bill would also make cell phone offenses subject to primary enforcement.  Currently, the offenses are subjected to secondary enforcement, which means that a police officer must first pull over a person for some other offense, before citing him for cell phone violations.  If the bill is signed, then California’s cell phone laws will be subjected to primary enforcement, which means that police officers can pull a driver over when they see him using a cell phone or texting while driving.

According to the California Highway Patrol, California’s laws against cell phone use and texting while driving have been very beneficial in reducing the numbers of accidents related to cell phone use.  Data from the California Highway Patrol show that the number of accidents traced to cell phone use while driving and texting while driving have dropped by up to 50% after California’s laws against these practices went into effect.  However, Los Angeles car accident lawyers believe these laws would be more effective if they came in stronger and higher distracted driving fines and penalties.  Many motorists would scoff at the $20 fine.  A combination of low penalties and the lack of an appreciation of the dangers of distracted driving helps to foster these dangerous practices.

It’s no secret that we need to see more progress in the war against distracted driving.  In spite of the fact that accidents due to distracted driving are down substantially, there are still far too many distracted motorists out there.  According to the Office of Traffic Safety and the American Automobile Association, about 40% of motorists in California continue to use hand-held cell phones while driving.  Stronger penalties would definitely help lower some of those numbers.

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