California bans texting while driving

On Wednesday, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation that will make it illegal to text message while driving. The law goes into effect on January 1, 2009, and prohibits drivers from sending, writing, or reading text messages while on the road.

The law carries a $20 fine for first-time offenders and $50 fine for subsequent offenses, and is hoped to reduce accidents and make driving a safer experience. A previous law, which took effect on July 1, 2008, made it illegal to even hold a phone while driving, requiring drivers to use handsfree headsets. Also in California, drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using a phone at all, even with a handsfree headset.