Driving while on a cell phone in California has been a illegal for a year now. But are drivers getting the message?
In the last year the California Highway Patrol has handed out 110,000 cell phone citations. 7,000 of those were in the valley area that includes Oroville and Chico. The Redding Police Department has busted more than 1,000 drivers.
Despite the tickets, new stats show drivers are becoming more likely to talk behind the wheel. C-H-P officials say the number of cell phone citations has climbed steadily over the last year. In may 12,000 California drivers were busted state-wide, up 64 percent from last July.
"Cell phones have become a habit for unfortunately people fall back into bad habits," said Officer Justin Maxey of the California Highway Patrol
Some blame Bluetooth for the spike in citations. The hands-free headsets have been called too expensive, too quiet and too un-cool.
"You know what it is, the Bluetooth things, the kids think they look a little bit dorkey. And I think that's why they don't use them," said Ginger Einchfield.
On the other hand, the number of fatal accidents in the state has dropped by about 400 which could be a sign the cell phone law is making the roads safer.
Officer Maxey says there is no way to know how many accidents were prevented by the cell phone law, but he hopes the law is saving lives.
