Apps and Measures to Help You Cut Down on Distracted Driving

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April was Distracted Driving Awareness Month and last year 57,000 cell phone tickets were issued statewide during the month. Looking for ways to avoid having your phone distract you while driving so you don’t get a ticket?

There are some Smartphone apps and measures available to help you cut down on distracted driving: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/04/30/distracted-driving-apps/8528939/. – blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets. 

If you get cited for a red light photo ticket, contact us at www.staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud or call us at (800) 850-8038.  For Spanish call (818) 584-3689.  For more information on how TicketBust can help to beat your cell phone ticket call (800) 850-8038.

This blog was written to provide information related to traffic tickets in California, is based on opinion only, is not legal advice, and is for informational purposes only. 

Court Rules Drivers Can Hold a Phone While Driving if Not Engaged in Conversation

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Court Rules Drivers Can Hold a Phone While Driving if Not Engaged in Conversation- blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets.

California resident Steven Spriggs received a cell phone ticket after a CHP officer saw him holding a phone while driving. Spriggs fought the ticket in Fresno Superior Court in early 2012 and was found guilty after demonstrating to the judge that he was not talking or texting and was reading a map on his mobile phone while driving. Spriggs was found guilty and after appealing this decision was found guilty a second time.  Spriggs took his case all the way to the Appellate level and third time was a charm. The Fifth District Court of Appeal ruled the hands free legislation does not prohibit all hand held uses of the telephone rather it only prohibits drivers from engaging in conversations while holding the phone.

The ruling is the first appellate interpretation of a 2006 state law that restricts handheld uses of a mobile telephone while driving. The ruling will have statewide impact if it withstands further appeals, reports sfgate.com.   –  blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets. 

If you get cited for a red light photo ticket, contact us at www.staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud or call us at (800) 850-8038.  For Spanish, please visit www.Combatesuticket.com or call (818) 584-3689.  For more information on how TicketBust can help to beat your cell phone ticket, visit www.fightcellphonetickets.com or call (800) 850-8038.

This blog was written to provide information related to traffic tickets in California, is based on opinion only, is not legal advice, and is for informational purposes only.

Judge Dismisses Cell Phone Ticket Using Siri to Activate Call Does Not Violate Hands Free Driving Laws

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Judge Dismisses Cell Phone Ticket Using Siri to Activate Call Does Not Violate Hands Free Driving Laws- blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets.

Just last year, a New York Judge, in People v. Andrew Welch, dismissed a cell phone ticket involving Siri. The defendant, Andrew Welch was charged with using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle without a hands free device, in violation of New York Vehicle and Traffic Law. Per the officer’s testimony, defendant had a cell phone in his hand which he held close to his chin, and was talking into it. At trial, the defendant took the stand, admitted that he had the cell phone in his hand and was talking into it, but asserted he was using the phone’s Siri feature to activate a call. Justice Morris concluded that the defendant’s testimony established he was activating a call an action that is not illegal.

This begs the question is it legal to use Siri while driving in California? The verdict is still out. The hands free driving laws leaves much open for interpretation both by law enforcement officials when it comes to issuing tickets and judges when it comes to looking at whether those tickets issued should be upheld or dismissed and there is no published California decision on the matter.

SanJoseMercuryNews.com reports San Jose police Lt. Chris Monahan says it’s legal to talk to Siri, as long as the phone’s not in your hand but if you ask for directions and she puts them up on her screen for you to read then California’s vehicle code says you’re breaking the law.

But State Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, who wrote the hands-free and texting laws enacted in 2008 and 2009 has a different opinion. SanJoseMercuryNews.com reports the bill’s author says that because Siri is not “a person” the law may not apply at all: “I’m a legislator, not a judge or a law enforcement official,” said “But I don’t see how asking Siri for driving instructions and then looking down at the text on the phone is any more of a violation of existing law than reading your GPS device. The law talks about communicating with any ‘person.’ And if there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that Siri is not a person.”

SanJoseMercuryNews.com reports California Highway Patrol spokesman D.J. Sarabia says the problem with cell-phone legislation is that you can ask “ten of us in law enforcement and you’ll get ten slightly different interpretations. But then it’s one of those subjective things that in the end a judge will have to rule on.”-  blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets. 

If you get cited for a red light photo ticket, contact us at www.staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud or call us at (800) 850-8038.  For Spanish, please visit www.Combatesuticket.com or call (818) 584-3689.  For more information on how TicketBust can help to beat your cell phone ticket, visit www.fightcellphonetickets.com or call (800) 850-8038.

This blog was written to provide information related to traffic tickets in California, is based on opinion only, is not legal advice, and is for informational purposes only.

How Officers Try to Confirm if a Driver is Texting Behind the Wheel

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How Officers Try to Confirm if a Driver is Texting Behind the Wheel – blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets. 

Commissioner Joe Farrow of the California Highway Patrol speaks of the challenges officers face when trying to obtain visual confirmation that a driver is texting while driving.

The Huffingtonpost.com reported, in California, among other states, spotting a driver tapping on a cell phone isn’t enough to issue a ticket: Law enforcement officers must get visual confirmation that the driver is exchanging a digital message on his or her phone — all while they’re driving beside the suspected offender in a marked patrol car, Farrow explained.

“I have to pull up alongside of you, watch you, see you and testify in court that I saw you with your phone, texting or reading messages in the car,” Farrow said following the annual meeting of the Governors Highway Safety Association, a nonprofit organization that represents the nation’s highway safety offices. “We do write a significant number of citations, but it’s a bit more difficult than people think because we have to be able to testify in court that you were doing that, rather than just holding the device.”

California’s anti-texting law, which went into effect in 2009, prohibits drivers from writing, sending or reading “text-based communication” on any “electronic wireless communications device,” which makes it illegal to text, compose an email, share a photo on Instagram or “like” someone’s Facebook status while at the wheel.

Yet the law is narrow enough that it’s not technically illegal to look up a contact on one’s cellphone or pick a song on iTunes, meaning officers must see what a driver is doing on a smartphone before they can issue a citation. If they can’t see that the driver is messaging, their citation isn’t likely to hold up in court.

“Some people argue, ‘I wasn’t texting, I was just holding [the phone] in my hand,’” Farrow said. “I have to be able to convince a judge that I did see you [texting] within a reasonable doubt you were doing it.”   –  blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets. 

If you get cited for a red light photo ticket, contact us at www.staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud or call us at (800) 850-8038.  For Spanish, please visit www.Combatesuticket.com or call (818) 584-3689.  For more information on how TicketBust can help to beat your cell phone ticket, visit www.fightcellphonetickets.com or call (800) 850-8038.

This blog was written to provide information related to traffic tickets in California, is based on opinion only, is not legal advice, and is for informational purposes only. 

Texting While Driving Tickets

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For many years, California has banned texting while driving. There are few states that do not have a similar ban and even the state of Florida plans to start banning texting while driving in October 2013. In California texting while driving is a primary offense, meaning the cop does not need any other reason to pull you over, texting is enough. If you get a texting while driving ticket you should expect a fine around $200 and although the California DMV will not assign a point to your driving record for this type of ticket, the DMV will list the violation on your driving record.  Too many violations listed on your driving record (whether they have points assigned to them or not) may be of concern to insurance companies jeopardizing good driving discounts, or to employers who require a clean driving record. –  blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets. 

If you get cited for a red light photo ticket, contact us at www.staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud or call us at (800) 850-8038.  For Spanish, please visit www.Combatesuticket.com or call (818) 584-3689.  For more information on how TicketBust can help to beat your cell phone ticket, visit www.fightcellphonetickets.com or call (800) 850-8038.

This blog was written to provide information related to traffic tickets in California, is based on opinion only, is not legal advice, and is for informational purposes only. 

Best Option for Fighting a Cell Phone Ticket

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Best Option for Fighting a Cell Phone Ticket – blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets.

Kobe Bryant of the Lakers recently got a ticket for talking on his cell phone while driving a Ferrari! Since the cell phone ticket doesn’t put a point on your driving record, Kobe could just simply pay the fine (chump change for Kobe) and not have to go to traffic school. The ticket will remain on the DMV record though because it is a reportable violation so the courts and the DMV can keep track of repeat offenses.

What about the rest of us who don’t want to dish out one-hundred plus dollars on a cell phone ticket or have the cell phone ticket reported to the DMV?

There are ways to fight a cell phone ticket and a Trial by Written Declaration may be your best option. The law allows you to have another trial if the Trial by Written Declaration ruling doesn’t go in your favor; effectively giving you two shots at getting your ticket dismissed.

The Trial by Written Declaration paperwork will have to be filed with the court and you can provide a statement as to why the ticket should be dismissed. The law provides exceptions for emergency situation phone use and you might also be able to prove you are not guilty by providing the court a copy of your call records showing no calls were made or received at the time of the ticket.

At staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, we fight cell phone tickets all the time!

If you get cited for a red light photo ticket, contact us at www.staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud or call us at (800) 850-8038.

This blog was written to provide information related to traffic tickets in California, is based on opinion only, is not legal advice, and is for informational purposes only.

Californians Will Soon Be Able to Do Some Form of Texting From Behind The Wheel

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Californians Will Soon Be Able to Do Some Form of Texting From Behind The Wheel- blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets.

For the first time since texting while driving was banned more than three years ago, California drivers will be allowed to text in the future while driving, with some restrictions.

Under a bill recently signed into law by Governor Brown (to take effect next year), drivers will be able to send, dictate and listen to text messages, if they are using a voice-activated device attached to a phone by a headset or Bluetooth earpiece, or through a program inside a vehicle (example OnStar).

The key is the phone cannot be in your hand, it must be used in a hands fee manner while you are driving. –  blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets. 

If you get cited for a red light photo ticket, contact us at www.staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud or call us at (800) 850-8038.

This blog was written to provide information related to traffic tickets in California, is based on opinion only, is not legal advice, and is for informational purposes only. 

Does CA Texting While Driving Law Include Looking Up Directions?

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Does CA Texting While Driving Law Include Looking Up Directions? – blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets.

 

California Text Law says this: “a person shall not drive while using an electronic device to write, send, or read, a text based communication.” Which begs the question, just what is “text based communication”. Obviously a text message, but what else?

The Legislature defines its meaning of “write”, “send”, or “read”, “text – based communication” as using an electronic wireless communications device to manually communicate with any person.

Looking up directions or simply using your smart phone as a GPS doesn’t seem to fit into the definition of text based communication and many drivers use their phone for this purpose. Using a Smartphone for GPS navigation topped instant messaging as an application. Most countries’ GPS usage surpassed 50% including the United States (54%). (http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110711006694/en/IDG-Global-Survey-Shows-Smartphone-Growing-Rapidly)

Hand to phone contact is best kept at a minimum, not only for your own safety but to avoid getting pulled over, from the outside looking in an officer may think you are texting or reading a text even if you are just using your phone as a GPS. –  blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets. 

 If you get cited for a red light photo ticket, contact us at www.staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud or call us at (800) 850-8038.  For Spanish, please visit www.Combatesuticket.com or call (818) 584-3689.  For more information on how staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud can help to beat your cell phone ticket, visit www.fightcellphonetickets.com or call (800) 850-8038.

This blog was written to provide information related to traffic tickets in California, is based on opinion only, is not legal advice, and is for informational purposes only.

Are Drivers of Commercial Vehicles Prohibited from Using CB Radios Under CA Traffic Law

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Are Drivers of Commercial Vehicles Prohibited from Using CB Radios Under California Traffic Law  –blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets.

When California’s cell phone law took effect several years ago on July 1, 2008, while it required drivers to use a hands-free device while talking on the phone and driving, it did provide exemptions for drivers of Commercial Trucks.

When the law first took effect, drivers of commercial trucks (i.e. Big Rigs and not pick-up trucks) were exempt, along with emergency workers and people driving on private property.

The law once allowed commercial drivers to use a two-way radio operated by a “push-to-talk” feature that did not require immediate proximity to the ear. However… in 2011 everything changed for commercial drivers.

The part of the law allowing them to use a two-way radio with a push-to-talk feature was removed. CB radios are no longer exempt under California’s hands free laws and commercial drivers must use a hands-free device while driving, like any other motorist.  –  blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets. 

If you get cited for a red light photo ticket, contact us at www.staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud or call us at (800) 850-8038.  For Spanish call (818) 584-3689.  For more information on how staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud can help to beat your cell phone ticket call (800) 850-8038.

This blog was written to provide information related to traffic tickets in California, is based on opinion only, is not legal advice, and is for informational purposes only.

New Proposed Distracted Driving Rules Target Not Just Your Cell Phone

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New Proposed Distracted Driving Rules Target Not Just Your Cell Phone– blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets.

The Department of Transportation aims to limit advanced features in newer vehicles like entertainment systems that allow drivers to make calls, send or receive text messages, and browse the internet, which could cause driver distraction.

Department of Transportation seeks to reduce driver distraction down to two minute glances and one hand operation by:

  • Reducing the length of time it takes drivers to use certain devices
  • Limiting the complexity of using certain devices so that only one hand would be required (leaving other hand free for the steering wheel)
  • Limiting the length on incoming messages to 30 characters (to reduce time eyes are off the road) unless vehicle is not in drive

Countrywide hearings on the new proposed guidelines are in the works and if successful drivers would be restricted from being able to input an address to a GPS system, input a phone number or look at Facebook accounts. –  blog submitted by staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud, helping drivers contest and dismiss their traffic tickets. 

If you get cited for a red light photo ticket, contact us at www.staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud or call us at (800) 850-8038.