California Drivers Ignore Hands-Free Law

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 2, 2009 — -- If you live in one of the 18 states where it is illegal to drive while talking on a hand-held cell phone you probably see fellow drivers breaking the law frequently. Maybe you're even guilty of driving while holding a phone.

In California that would place you in good -- and broad -- company. First lady Maria Shriver has been seen doing it repeatedly, and the California Highway Patrol says it has written more than 100,000 tickets to drivers caught talking on hand-held cell phones since a law prohibiting it went into effect a year-and-a-half ago.

The solution seems so simple -- a $30 earpiece or Bluetooth device is all it takes to adhere to the law. But in California it seems many drivers have decided to do it the old fashioned way. They hold their phones in plain sight of fellow drivers and police, blatantly breaking the law and apparently not caring.

California Highway Patrol Officer Rick Quintero says it's like shooting fish in a barrel when he patrols the Los Angeles freeways. On one morning in Southern California with ABC News riding shotgun, Quintero pulled over driver after driver for talking on their hand-held cell phones.

"They give you the same excuse that a drunk would give you," Quintero explained. "They say, 'I've driven drunk many times and I've never been involved in a wreck.' Same thing with a cell phone. They say, 'I've used my cell phone dozens of times, and I've never been involved in a wreck.' Until you get involved in a wreck."

The drivers Quintero pulled over seemed mostly apologetic and not all that surprised they got caught. Ed Howard told ABC News he knew he was busted the second he saw the black-and-white CHP patrol car.

"I know it's against the law," Howard said. "I've just been lazy. Now I'm going to go buy a Bluetooth."

One woman pulled over tried to hide it, claiming she was only using her Global Positioning System device and saying it was crazy to think she was using her phone. But she lost that battle with Quintero, who pointed out that typically you do not hold a GPS device up to your ear and talk into it.

Some drivers complain that the audio quality of hands-free devices is too poor, or that it takes too long to charge the batteries. Others, like Howard, admit that they're just lazy.