AAA: Texting-Driving Cases Nearly Triple

Yes, it’s illegal. But nearly three times as many Southern California drivers in the past two years have been spotted texting while driving, according to a recent survey conducted by the Auto Club of Southern California.

The Auto Club found about 4.1 percent of motorists texting, or using a smartphone, while driving through seven different undisclosed locations in Southern California this year, according to its latest figures.

A statewide ban on texting while driving went into effect in January 2009, and at the time, about 1.4 percent of drivers were found texting, or using a smartphone, while behind the wheel at the same seven locations.

This year's percentage is nearly three times as high.

“Current penalties for texting while driving in the Golden State haven’t deterred the behavior,” said the Auto Club’s government affairs manager, Steve Finnegan, in a statement Tuesday. 

California is one of 34 states, along with Washington DC, that have banned texting while driving, which also includes emails.

A motorist caught texting while driving in California could be fined $20 for a first offense and $50 for a second offense. With the addition of related penalties, the cost of a citation could increase to between $114 and $143 for a first offense and to about $279 for a second offense, according to the Auto Club.

No “point” would be placed on the offender's driving record. 

"This is unfortunate," Finnegan said, “since research shows that imposing points increases driver compliance with traffic safety laws.”

Local beachgoers that texting while driving can be an inevitable habit—"texting is a part of this generation," said Armando Compean, a frequent visitor to Hermosa Beach from West Hollywood.

But Finnegan said that California “needs stronger penalties and targeted enforcement to reduce texting while driving—which is really the perfect storm of distraction that takes drivers’ eyes, hands and brains off the task of driving.” 

State Senate Bill 28 has been proposed to impose greater fines and charge a point on a driver’s record for a second or subsequent violation of texting while driving. The bill would hike up fines to $50 for a first offense and $100 for the second. It is being considered in the state Assembly. 

So far this year, the California Highway Patrol has reported issuing about 15,000 cellphone usage and texting tickets monthly.  

Talking on cell, driving

While the number of drivers who text while driving has increased, the Auto Club found that the number of drivers who talk on hand-held cellphones has dropped significantly.

A statewide ban on using handheld cellphones while driving went into effect in 2008. Since then, an Auto Club survey found that the number of motorists who talked on their handheld cellphones declined from 9.3 percent to 3.2 percent—a recorded 66 percent decrease.

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