California to Ban Texting While Driving

California will become the sixth state this Thursday to ban texting while driving.

A bill making it illegal to write, send or read a text message while driving becomes law on Jan. 1 in the Golden State. The ban on texting while driving is a follow-up to a couple of bills that took effect last July 1. One allows adult motorists to use only handsfree devices when talking on cell phones, while the other prohibits drivers under age 18 from using any cell phone or electronic message device while driving.

The new law makes it clear that texting, not just using a hand-held cell phone to talk, is a no-no for adult drivers. It also makes texting by a driver under 18 a primary offense that can result in a traffic stop. The earlier law required another violation before an officer could pull over a minor for operating a cell phone.

Under the new bill, texting while driving may result in a $20 fine for a first offense and a $50 fine for subsequent violations, but various fees could be tacked on to those penalties.

The five other states to ban texting while driving are Washington, Alaska, Louisiana, Minnesota and New Jersey.