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Drivers under age 18 could face a fine for using cell phones, pagers or text-messaging devices — even hands-free — while behind the wheel, under a proposed law making its way through the state Legislature, state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, said Monday.
Sen. Simitian’s SB 33, which would prohibit drivers under 18 from using cell phones, pagers, text-messaging devices, laptops and other mobile devices such as walkie-talkies while driving, passed the state Assembly Monday on a 62 to 5 vote.
According to Sen. Simitian, similar legislation has already been passed in 13 states and the District of Columbia, and is pending in 16 more states.
“I introduced this bill for one simple reason,” Simitian declared in a statement released by his office. “It will save lives.”
He cited research claiming teen drivers are four times more distracted than adult drivers when using a cell phone.
“Year after year, car crashes are the number one cause of death among teenagers,” he said. “The young drivers who are using cell phones, pagers and PDAs while driving are putting not only themselves at risk, but all of us as well.”
Under the law, first-time violators would be fined $20, and $50 for each additional offense.
The bill now goes to the state Senate; if passed and signed by the governor, the law would go into effect July 1, 2008, according to Sen. Simitian’s office.
Last year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 1613 — also authored by Sen. Simitian — into law, requiring all California drivers using cell phones to use a hands-free device. That law goes into effect also on July 1, 2008.
