On January 12, 2021, the Oxnard Police Department will have additional officers on patrol looking for drivers that are violating the state’s hands-free cell phone law.
Under the law, drivers are not allowed to hold a phone or electronic communications device while driving. This includes talking, texting or using an app.
A driver cell phone violation is subject to a $157 fine for the first offense.
Other distractions include eating, grooming, talking to passengers, using GPS, adjusting the radio, taking off a jacket, reaching for an object on the floor or navigating a vehicle’s in-dash touchscreen.
If you have an important phone call or need to program directions, pull over to a safe parking spot. Before driving, either silence your phone or put it somewhere you can’t reach. Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.