California drivers who have been evading and ignoring cellphone-use laws may soon want to rethink their dangerous habits. The state senate committee recently passed a bill that increases the penalties for using phones while driving, and if Governor Jerry Brown signs off on it, part of the increase will be dedicated to the Office of Traffic Safety's safe-driving education program.
Since the state's initial penalties were enacted in 2008, the rate of fatal accidents has fallen, but lawmakers are calling for further improvement. The original law imposed a $20 fine for the first offence and $50 for the second, but the new legislation would bump the penalty fees to $50 and $100, respectively. Advocates of the bill hope that steeper fines will encourage drivers to think twice before making calls or texting.
Nationally, distracted driving was cited in 20 percent of car accidents that resulted in injury or death, and 18 percent of fatalities involved in distraction-related accidents were caused by the use of cell phones, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.