16 July 2021
Santa Rosa police are adding extra patrol officers Friday to look for drivers who are violating the state’s hands-free cellphone law.
Under a new state law that took effect July 1, drivers who use a handheld phone while driving are not only being fined, but also a point is being added to their driving record for each violation occurring within 36 months of a previous conviction for the same offense. The one-point penalty is equivalent to a speeding violation.
Drivers are not allowed to hold a cellphone or electronic communications device while driving, including for talking, texting or using an app under state law.
In a news release, police called distracted driving “a serious issue, but one that can be easily solved simply by putting the phone down. That text, phone call, email or social media post can wait.”
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