Sandra from the Upper Haight asks: “Chris, can you settle a matter for me? My best friend and I share a car. She is new to the City and constantly holds her phone while driving to check directions. When she is not doing that, she uses Spotify on her phone to listen to music through the car’s speakers. I love her dearly and don’t want her to cause or be in a crash. I have told her she can’t use the phone in her hand while driving. She claims it’s only illegal to hold the phone to talk or text. Is she right?”
What Is California Law On Driving And Texting Or Using Apps?
Ashley from Rockridge asks: “Chris, last week I used the casual car pool to commute into the City. While moving slowly through the Bay Bridge maze, the driver took out his smartphone and typed in an address on a map application to get directions to a business. He then called the business holding the phone to his ear. I voiced my concern over his lack of attention to other cars in the maze. He didn’t take kindly to me expressing an opinion on the safety of his driving and claimed the law only prohibits texting while driving. Is that right?”