Maria Shriver, wife of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, was photographed and video taped breaking California law.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s wife Maria Shriver may have violated cell phone ban aimed to reduce California automobile accident injuries.
Los Angeles, CA–Celebrity Web site TMZ.com posted photos and a video of the wife of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger clearly violating a law signed by the California leader last year. Maria Shriver was caught using a hand held device while behind the wheel of a large black SUV. Several photographs and a video portray the Governor’s wife using a cell phone while in the driver’s seat of a motor vehicle. Reports indicate Shriver was operating her automobile where she lives in Brentwood at the time of the video shooting. Los Angeles County Superior Court fines first time offenders $93 and subsequent repeat offenders of the cell phone ban $201.
Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill passed by the California legislature last year into law strictly prohibiting the use of handheld cell phones while driving. Drivers may talk on a phone while operating a motor vehicle if they use a hands-free device. As reported by abcNews, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) issued over 150,000 citations since the law went into effect. That number does not include the countless other law enforcement agencies throughout the vast state of California who have also issued tickets for this offense.
Just this month the first Distracted Driving Summit in Washington, D.C. was held by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) http://www.dot.gov The conference revealed distracted driving contributes to 6,000 motor vehicle deaths every year in the U.S. and contributes to the $300 billion cost of automobile accident injuries and deaths annually. The American Automobile Association (AAA) conducted a study of drivers and discovered 95% of the public believes cell phone use and text messaging while driving is a serious problem and a threat to the safety and lives of all drivers and passengers. Interestingly enough the AAA research also revealed 67% of drivers confessed to talking on their cell phones or text messaging while driving inspite of their knowledge of the dangers of such acts. So, the California Governor’s wife seems to be among the admitted 67% of the population who uses their hand-held devices while driving based on the recent photos and video footage. Maybe, since Ms. Shriver is married to the top law maker in California she also falls amongst the 95% of drivers who believe the use of hand-held devices while driving is dangerous but occasionally catches herself on the phone while behind the wheel. I know I do.
California social responsibility insight by legal news reporter Heather L. Ryan.