California Coping With Distracted Drivers

PALM DESERT – Dave Stephens has driven on California roads for more than 50 years, all without a crash. He says he owes it to defensive driving and staying focused.

“I see people putting on make-up and I see guys cell phone,” says Stephens. “But I used to drive with the cell phone now I just pull to the side of the road.”

Staying focused on the road is harder now then when Stephens started driving.

Highway safety advocates handed out grades on how each state is dealing with the distractions.

California is one of only 10 states that met safety advocates recommended traffic laws.

Officer Donavan Rice, a 30 year veteran with the California Highway Patrol, has seen many new driving laws, including bans on texting while driving and talking on a cell phone without a headset. The laws also includes any other distractions a phone can bring.

“I can go into court and say I aw the cell phone open. I saw them pushing the buttons and therefore they are in violation whether they are checking mail or whatever,” says Officer Rice.

The CHP handed out more than 130,000 distracted driving tickets last year.

More than 600 of them out of the Indio station.

Fines vary from county to county but can approach $130 for the first offense.

It’s a deterrent for many. Others still haven’t gotten the message.

“Even in Indianapolis, where I am from, you see a lot of people that, that have those problems so I actually think it’s a good thing for the cell phone,” says Cody Pond who recently moved to the Coachella Valley from Indiana.

Safety advocates say the state still has work to do.

They have a list of what law’s they’d like to see in the future, including stiffer laws for new drivers, usually teenagers.

“You have to watch what your doing, you know, maybe that’s why I’ve never had an accident,” says Stephens.