Cellphone Maps Can Be Used Legally While Driving In California

Driving while using Google Maps – right or wrong? While technically you aren’t texting or aren’t calling someone, safe to say that you are distracted especially if you were to pick up your phone and examined the maps closer.

In fact it wasn’t too long ago that there were several states that proposed the ban of Google Glass while on the road. This is despite the fact that the device could be turned off, but then again how will the authorities know, right? While the jury is still out on whether Google Glass could be banned while driving, the good news is that as far as Californians are concerned, your use of cellphone maps while driving is considered legal.

This is thanks to a recent court ruling which basically made the use of cellphone maps while driving a legal thing to do. Prior to that, it was considered to be stuck in a gray area. In fact a couple of years ago, a man in California got a ticket for using the maps on his phone while stuck in traffic and was looking for an alternative route.

The ticket that was issued was basically one that said that talking and listening on your phone was not allowed while driving. Thankfully the driver successfully challenged the ticket, with the courts ruling that while listening and talking on the phone is not allowed, it does not apply to other uses, hence the gray area, but we guess it is now pretty clear cut.

Of course this doesn’t give drivers the right to go all out when checking maps on their phones as they will still be required to be on the lookout for other cars and pedestrians. What do you guys think?

Tyler Lee
Categories: Cellphones
Tags: Google Maps, Legal, Social Hit