States Crack Down on Handsets

Beginning July 1st, Californians will face a $50 fine if they’re caught using their cell phones while driving. Autopia reports that California joins several other states, including New York, Washington, D.C., New Jersey and Connecticut in cracking down on driver distractions—but while 23 states have laws prohibiting texting while driving, the number of distractions in cars continues to climb.

The report went on to say that some 10 to 20 percent of all meals in the U.S. are eaten while in the car—a statistic that may surprise city-goers who don’t drive much—and that nearly 80 percent of crashes entail some form of driver distraction (not just cell phones) within three seconds of the accident.

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