Are you guilty of sneaking a peek at your cell phone while driving? Laws pertaining to the operation of a motor vehicle while using a wireless device, such as a cell phone, are different in each state. But no matter where you live, distracted driving is more prevalent than ever and is, unfortunately, the cause of many accidents on the road. At any given moment approximately 660,000 American drivers are using a cell phone or manipulating electronic devices while operating their vehicle. Here are a few other scary stats:
- Texting while driving makes the chance of an accident 23 times more likely
- Dialing, talking and reaching for devices increases your risk by up to 8 times
- 5 seconds is the minimum time your attention is off the road while checking your phone
- Drivers who text and drive are out of their own lane 10% of the time
- Texting while driving is responsible for:
- 1,600,000 accidents per year
- 300,000 injuries per year
- 11 teen deaths every day
California Hands-Free Driving Law
A California Office of Traffic Safety study determined that 1 out of 8 drivers on the road is paying as much attention to his or her smartphone as to the road. State road safety officials estimate that some form of distracted driving is a factor in 80 percent of crashes.
Hands-free driving laws are governed at the state level. More and more states are passing laws to keep up with ever-evolving mobile devices. Many states have outdated laws written in a time when cell phones were less advanced than the smartphones we know today. This was the case in California. A 2006 law was updated to provide better guidelines for today’s technology. Assembly Bill No. 1785 went into effect on January 1, 2017.
This new law dictates that California drivers cannot drive and use wireless communication devices for any reason, unless the device is used in a hands-free mode or with a Bluetooth device. This includes texting, calling, taking photos, flipping through music, using map services, and streaming videos. If the device is mounted, drivers are able to activate or deactivate a feature, so long as only one tap or swipe of the finger is required to do so.
ProClip Phone Mounts Keep You Hands-Free
Safety is a top priority for us at ProClip. In fact, 86 percent of ProClip customers said they feel they are a safer driver after installing their phone mount. In addition, 97 percent of customers feel accessing their phone in the car (for GPS, music, hands-free calling) is more convenient with their ProClip mount.
Our device-specific phone holders and vehicle-specific dashboard mounts are high-quality mounting solutions that keep your mobile device safely secured in your vehicle, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road. Our dashboard mounts are carefully selected for each vehicle’s interior to make sure the mounting placement does not hinder the driver’s view of the road.
Car phone mounts are key for drivers in states like California, as the law now highly suggests the use of a mounting device such as a dashboard mount.
Distracted Driving Laws in the Other States
California isn’t the only state updating its laws. Read our article to find out if hand-held cell phone use is legal in your state.
