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| TMZ.com spotted Maria Shriver driving while celling. |
After being caught in the act of talking on her handheld cell phone three separate times, California First Lady Maria Shriver was allowed to determine her own penance for the violations. In a statement, Shriver apologized and stated she would be donating her old handset to Verizon’s Hopeline program, which helps victims of domestic violence.
Shriver has not been cited for any of the incidents. Most drivers caught talking on handsets incur a $20 ticket for the first offense but the amount can vary depending upon jurisdiction. CNN reports that Los Angeles Superior Court has set the cost at about $93 for the first ticket and $201 for the next one.
While some argue that the ban is slowly taking hold, there is evidence that Californians continue to behave badly. The statewide ban on driving while talking on a handheld cell phone took effect in July 2008. The Christian Science Monitor reports that since that time, the California Highway Patrol has issued more than 150,000 citations. And the 12,000 issued last month is up one-third from last year.
A similar law banning texting while driving began in January 2009. A report issued Tuesday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety concluded that while drivers on the phone were three times as likely to crash ("or nearly crash"), driving while texting increased that likelihood 23 times.
