Schwarzenegger OKs cellphone ban for teen motorists

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signed into law legislation banning teen drivers from using all electronic devices-including cellphones, pagers, personal digital assistants and laptop computers-while behind the wheel.
“The simple fact is that teenage drivers are more easily distracted. They are young, inexperienced and have a slower reaction time. We want to eliminate any extra distractions so they can focus on paying attention to the road and being good drivers,” said Schwarzenegger at a bill signing ceremony at Sequoia High School in Redwood City, Calif.
The new law kicks in on July 1, 2008, the same date as a separate law requiring all drivers to use hands-free devices for cellular calls on the road. Violation of either law carries a $20 fine for the first offense and $50 for each additional offense. Both laws make exceptions for 911 emergency calls.
The governor’s office highlighted a California Highway Patrol’s finding that mobile-phone use is a leading cause of distracted-driver accidents in the state, and a Ford Motor Co. study that concluded teenage drivers are four times more distracted than adult drivers. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 16 to 20 year olds, accounting for 44% of teen fatalities annually in the United States, according to statistics cited by Schwarzenegger. Teens comprise only 6.3% of the nation’s licensed drivers, but account for nearly 14% of all fatal crashes. About 6,000 teenage drivers die every year, a figure representing a higher percentage than highway fatalities of drivers aged 25 to 69.
Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have laws prohibiting the use of mobile communication devices by teen drivers. New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, the District of Columbia and various cities have driver hand-held bans in place.
The National Transportation Safety Board, after investigating a deadly crash involving driver cellphone use in 2002, urged states to enact legislation to make it illegal for teen drivers to operate cellphones and other mobile communications gear while driving.