Last June, Los Angeles city officials including Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa along with AT&T took a firm stand against the evils of driving while texting (DWT) during the launch of the “No Texting While Driving” public safety campaign.

However, during the second anniversary of California’s handheld cellphone use ban this July 1, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that too many motorists continue to bend and break the law.

In California, drivers below 18 years old are absolutely prohibited from driving a motor vehicle while using a wireless telephone or a mobile service device while persons 18 and older are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle while using a hand-held cellular telephone. Similarly, it is against the law to text while driving.

According to the CHP, more than 1200 traffic collisions throughout the state have been caused by distracted drivers on their cellphones. Although the law has been in place for 2 years, 16 people have already died and about 850 injured because of DWT.

Overall, police have issued some 244,000 citations to cell phone law violators. Around 9,000 motor vehicle accidents in Los Angeles could have easily been prevented if people obeyed the law and refrained from texting and/or talking while driving.

While fines ranging from $20 for the first offense and $50 for the second are imposed on errant drivers, CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow says that it is important for drivers to learn when to put down their phones, especially when driving. He said that this kind of distracted driving can cost a driver his life or that of his loved ones.

Distracted driving, like texting and/or talking on the cellphone while operating a vehicle, is the leading cause of most vehicle crashes and near-crashes. A lot of people seem to think that multi-tasking isn’t a big deal and would even do it on the road but in reality, driving is a skill that requires a driver’s full attention.

Once a person starts to text, his/her eyes, hands and mind will be off the road and his/her visual, cognitive, and manual skills will become impaired. Most crashes occur 3 seconds after a distraction so even the mere act of checking a message or picking up a call can put your life or that of your passengers and other motorists in danger.

No text message or phone call is as important as your life or any other person. So the next time you’re out on the road and you hear that familiar ringtone or incoming text message alert, resist the urge to pick up your phone. 3 seconds is all it takes to turn a safe trip to a road disaster.

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California’s scofflaw First Lady has done it again – two traffic offenses in one muffin-eating sitting in fact.

TMZ has broken out pictures of Maria Shriver eating a muffin in her car, parked in an expired parking meter.

Although a parking officer attempted to issue a citation to the Kennedy scion for the traffic offense, a man who introduced himself as a member of the CHP Dignitary Protection Unit convinced the officer not to ticket the governor’s wife.

According to reports, Maria then drove off from the scene of the traffic violation (without even bothering to put a quarter in the meter) and this time, she drove without wearing her seatbelt!

Santa Monica authorities say that Maria would have only been exempt from parking laws if she were on official business and indicated it by placing a placard on the car’s dashboard.

But unfortunately, Maria who is once again the poster girl for California traffic laws violation was in Santa Monica for shoe shopping and muffins. Hence, TMZ has cheekily dubbed Maria’s latest traffic gaffes as “Muffin Gate”.

It is utterly ironic and hypocritical that California’s public figures are also the ones caught red-handedly violating their State’s traffic laws.

In fact, just this week, Maria’s husband, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was also pictured to have parked his Porche convertible in the red zone.

According to the laws in California, in stopping, standing, or parking alongside a red curb is prohibited. Likewise, CA has a mandatory seatbelt law which requires that no person shall be allowed to operate a motor vehicle unless he and passengers 16 years of age or over are properly restrained by a safety belt.

Husband and wife both did not get cited for their traffic infractions.

Whatever happened to public officials leading their people by example and upholding the law they are sworn to protect?

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