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Today will forever be remembered as The Day The Fun Died for those Californian motorists who revel in texting-while-driving. As we flip the calendar to 2009, that act becomes illegal whether you have an iPhone, a Blackberry, or a hefty Zack Morris phones from 1992.
Text Messaging (SB 28) This new law makes it an infraction to write, send, or read text-based communication on an electronic wireless communication device, such as a cell phone, while driving.
If you want to text-and-drive you best ready an Andrew Jackson for The Man. The first offense is a $20 fine. The fine's ceiling is $50, and that's what each subsequent offense will cost you. A handful of other driving laws go into effect 01/01/09 as well.
Here are some highlights of the new vehicle code thanks to the California Department of Motor Vehicles --
- DUI Probation License Suspension (AB 1165) A change in the driving under the influence (DUI) law creates a new authority for DMV to administratively suspend the driver's license for one year under a zero tolerance standard. The new law authorizes law enforcement to issue a notice of suspension and impound the vehicle of a person who is driving with a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.01 percent or greater while on court-ordered post-DUI probation.
- Unlicensed Car Dealers (AB 2042) This new law allows law enforcement officers to impound vehicles that are being sold by unlicensed dealers.
- Counterfeit Clean Air Stickers (SB 1720) This new law will make it a crime to forge, counterfeit, or falsify a Clean Air Sticker. These stickers are currently issued by DMV to certain low emission vehicles and permit vehicles with these stickers to be driven in the HOV lane.
- Temporary Operating Permits (AB2241) This law restricts DMV from issuing temporary operating permits to allow more time to obtain a smog certificate as part of the registration renewal process. Under the law, extensions will cost $50 and are only allowed if the vehicle has been tested at a smog station and failed. The extension can be for no more than 60 days from the date registration is due.
- San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Fee (AB 2522) In an effort to fund programs to reduce vehicle emissions, vehicle owners who register their vehicles in San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare Counties and Valley portions of Kern County will be assessed an air quality fee of $6.
Good luck in '09, Motorists!
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im good as long as i can still google map on my cell
Does "driving" include instances where one is stopped at a light and texting/emailing, or does it only refer to when the car is actually in motion? And would sending pics or looking at google maps bypass the law entirely -- these not being "text-based communications"...?
I guess maybe it's up to the interpretation of individual officers...?
Yeah, I think that's going to be the test. What happens when you're at a long light or in parking lot traffic on the freeway? Can we google map our traffic?
I think you could argue the semantics of the law if you're talking about doing a Google map, because that isn't necessarily "communication."
I love my iPhone and all its wondrous apps (including texting, emailing, et al) but think that it is bad practice while driving. It's going to be hard for me to break this one--harder than the talking law because my car has always been set up for Bluetooth and I think I've used the phone in my hand like once in the past year.
I don't know how much this will impact people's habits, though. I mean, how many people do you see driving (mostly like total effing douchebags) while yakking on the phone without a hands-free set up? I see dozens, at least. People are stupid, and not enough of them are being busted. But should we have more cops issuing $20 tickets or more cops stopping "real" crimes? I just wish more people would use their noggin while driving and put down their effing phone.
I made a call to Sacramento and they said Facebook poking is 100% legal, and encouraged in all traffic situations.
What happens when you have an older phone that requires manually dialing a number despite having a headset? That's not really texting.