At 55 miles per hour, reading a text takes your eyes off the road for about five seconds. In that time, your car covers the length of a football field. That stat comes directly from NHTSA, and it’s the reason California has some of the strictest distracted driving laws in the country.
If you drive in the Santa Clarita Valley, Los Angeles, or anywhere in California, you need to know exactly what’s illegal, what the fines are, and how the law has gotten even stricter in the last year. The short version: you cannot touch your phone while driving. Period. Not at a red light. Not in traffic. Not even to glance at directions.
Here’s the full breakdown.
California’s No-Touch Phone Law: CVC 23123 and 23123.5
California Vehicle Code Section 23123 prohibits using a handheld wireless phone while driving unless it’s set up for hands-free operation. Section 23123.5 goes further and makes it illegal to hold and operate any wireless device while behind the wheel.
Together, these two sections create what’s commonly called the “no-touch” law. Here’s what it covers:
You cannot hold your phone for any reason while driving. That includes making calls, texting, checking notifications, scrolling social media, changing a song, looking at a map, or taking a photo. You cannot use your phone at a red light or while stopped in traffic. California law considers your vehicle “in operation” any time it’s on a public road, even if you’re sitting still. The law applies to all wireless devices, not just phones. Tablets, smartwatches, and any other electronic communication device fall under the same rules.
What’s allowed: You can use your phone hands-free if it’s mounted on the windshield, dashboard, or center console in a way that doesn’t block your view. You’re allowed to activate a feature with a single swipe or tap. Voice commands are legal. And you can always make emergency calls to law enforcement, fire, or medical services regardless of how the phone is positioned.
The 2025 court ruling that closed the last loophole: In June 2025, the California Court of Appeals ruled in People v. Porter that holding a phone to view a navigation app, even without touching the screen, violates CVC 23123.5. Before this ruling, some drivers argued that passively looking at their phone wasn’t “operating” it. The court rejected that argument, stating that allowing drivers to hold a phone and view a mapping app would be contrary to the Legislature’s intent. If you’re holding it and looking at it, you’re in violation.
What Are the Actual Fines?
The base fines listed in the Vehicle Code look low. Don’t be fooled. Here’s what you’ll actually pay:
First offense: The base fine is $20. After California adds penalty assessments, court fees, and surcharges, your total comes to approximately $136 to $162 out of pocket.
Second and subsequent offenses: The base fine jumps to $50. With all fees and assessments, your total is approximately $272 to $285.
Points on your license: A first offense does not add points to your driving record. But if you’re convicted of a second cell phone violation within 36 months of the first, one point gets added to your license under Vehicle Code 12810.3. That point stays on your record and can affect your insurance rates.
Insurance impact: A distracted driving violation can increase your insurance premiums by 22% to 28% on average nationally, according to industry data from The Zebra and Insurance.com. In California specifically, the increase can be even steeper. In California, that translates to an extra several hundred dollars per year depending on your current rate. One $162 ticket can cost you over $1,000 in higher premiums over the next three years.
If distracted driving causes an accident: The fines above are for the phone violation itself. If you’re on your phone and cause a collision, you face additional charges depending on the outcome. Distracted driving can be used as evidence of negligence in a personal injury lawsuit. In 2023, 158 people were killed in distracted driving crashes in California and 3,275 were killed nationwide. The stakes go far beyond a traffic ticket.
Drivers Under 18 Face Even Stricter Rules
California Vehicle Code Section 23124 bans all phone use by drivers under 18, including hands-free systems. Teen drivers cannot use a phone for any purpose while driving, not even with a Bluetooth earpiece, a mounted phone, or voice commands. The only exception is an emergency call to law enforcement, fire, or medical services.
The base fines are the same ($20 first offense, $50 subsequent), but the broader ban means any phone use at all while driving is a citable offense for minors. For parents in the Santa Clarita area with teen drivers, this is a safety issue worth taking seriously. Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of accidents for young drivers, and NHTSA data shows that drivers aged 16-24 have the highest rate of phone manipulation behind the wheel. A car alarm system with GPS tracking and a backup camera are two upgrades that give parents extra peace of mind. For more on the hands-free rules that apply to all drivers, see our full guide to California’s hands-free driving law.
What Counts as Distracted Driving Beyond Phones
California’s distracted driving laws focus primarily on wireless devices, but distraction itself is much broader. NHTSA defines distracted driving as any activity that diverts attention from driving, and breaks it into three categories:
Visual distraction takes your eyes off the road. Looking at a text, checking your GPS, glancing at a passenger’s phone, or rubbernecking at an accident.
Manual distraction takes your hands off the wheel. Reaching for food, digging through the center console, scrolling on your phone, or adjusting the radio.
Cognitive distraction takes your mind off driving. Having an intense conversation, daydreaming, being upset or emotional, or trying to solve a problem in your head while you’re behind the wheel.
Texting is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distraction at once. Your eyes, hands, and mind are all somewhere else. But eating, applying makeup, and fumbling with dashboard controls also contribute to the roughly 400,000 distraction-related crashes that happen nationally each year.
How Hands-Free Technology Keeps You Legal (and Safe)
This is where car audio upgrades become a genuine safety investment, not just an entertainment upgrade.
A modern head unit with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto gives you everything you need to stay compliant with California’s distracted driving laws. Navigation displays on a mounted screen instead of a phone in your hand. Incoming texts are read aloud by the system. You can respond using voice commands without touching anything. Calls connect and disconnect through voice or steering wheel controls. Music and podcasts play through the car’s speakers with voice-activated control.
The key legal requirement is that your device is mounted and any interaction is limited to a single tap or swipe. A properly installed CarPlay or Android Auto head unit from brands like Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine, or Sony meets that standard. Your phone stays in your pocket or a mount, and the head unit does the work.
If your vehicle doesn’t have CarPlay or Android Auto built in, retrofitting one is straightforward. We install CarPlay and Android Auto head units at our Santa Clarita shop every day as part of our car audio installation services. The install typically takes a few hours, and you walk out with a system that makes hands-free driving natural instead of something you have to think about. For a detailed comparison of the two systems, check out our guide: Apple CarPlay vs Android Auto. If you want to take the full system further with better speakers and sound quality, our sound system upgrades pair perfectly with a new head unit.
Backup Cameras Reduce a Different Kind of Distraction
Turning around to check your blind spot while reversing is one of the most common moments of visual distraction for drivers. A backup camera eliminates that problem by giving you a clear, wide-angle view of what’s behind your vehicle right on your dashboard screen.
Since May 2018, all new vehicles sold in the U.S. are required to have backup cameras under federal law. But if your car was built before that, you probably don’t have one. Adding a backup camera is one of the most popular installs we do at Santa Clarita Auto Sound. It’s affordable, quick, and makes every reverse maneuver safer. Pairing it with a dash cam gives you recorded coverage in both directions, which is smart protection in LA County traffic. If you’re interested in either, give us a call at (661) 286-1100 or stop by our shop on Railroad Ave.
Under CVC 27602, backup camera displays are explicitly exempt from California’s screen laws. Your backup camera screen is 100% legal to view while driving.
Quick Reference: California Distracted Driving Laws
CVC 23123: No handheld phone calls while driving (adults). Hands-free allowed.
CVC 23123.5: No holding or operating any wireless device while driving. Single tap/swipe on a mounted device is allowed.
CVC 23124: No phone use at all for drivers under 18, including hands-free.
CVC 27602: Screens forward of the driver’s seat cannot display entertainment content visible to the driver. Navigation, backup cameras, and vehicle info displays are exempt.
First offense fine: ~$136-$162 total (after fees and assessments).
Second offense fine: ~$272-$285 total. One point added to license if within 36 months of first offense.
Insurance impact: 22% to 28% average premium increase nationally (potentially higher in California).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my phone at a red light in California?
No. California law considers your vehicle “in operation” anytime it’s on a public road, including at red lights and in stop-and-go traffic. Picking up your phone at a stoplight is a citable offense under CVC 23123.5. The only legal exception is making an emergency call.
How much does a distracted driving ticket actually cost in California?
The base fine is $20 for a first offense and $50 for subsequent offenses. But after penalty assessments, court fees, and surcharges are added, a first offense costs roughly $136 to $162. A second offense runs approximately $272 to $285. Factor in the insurance premium increase (averaging 22%), and a single ticket can cost well over $1,000 across three years.
Does a cell phone ticket go on my driving record in California?
A first offense does not add points to your driving record. However, a second conviction within 36 months adds one point under Vehicle Code 12810.3. That point can increase insurance rates and stays on your record for several years.
Can I use voice commands while driving in California?
Yes. Voice-activated controls are legal in California. You can use Siri, Google Assistant, or built-in voice commands on your head unit to make calls, send texts, get directions, and control music. The phone must be mounted or not in your hand. A hands-free system like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto makes voice control natural and keeps you fully compliant.
Is it legal to use a GPS navigation app while driving?
Yes, but only if the device is mounted on your windshield, dashboard, or center console and you’re not holding it. After the 2025 People v. Porter ruling, holding a phone to view a navigation app is explicitly illegal, even if you’re not touching the screen. A mounted head unit with CarPlay or Android Auto is the safest and most legal way to navigate.
Do teen drivers have different rules in California?
Yes. Drivers under 18 are banned from all wireless device use while driving under CVC 23124, including hands-free systems like Bluetooth earpieces. The only exception is emergency calls. This is stricter than the rules for adult drivers, who are allowed to use hands-free devices.
Stay Legal Without Thinking About It
The easiest way to stay legal and safe on California roads is to set up your car so you never need to touch your phone. A hands-free head unit with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, a quality Bluetooth system, and a backup camera cover most of the situations where drivers reach for their phones. At Santa Clarita Auto Sound, we install these systems every day for drivers across the SCV who want a safer, smarter setup. Voted Best Auto Stereo Store in Santa Clarita 8 years running, with over 1,000 five-star reviews across Google, Yelp, and Facebook. Stop by our shop at 25845 Railroad Ave, Unit 10, Santa Clarita, or call us at (661) 286-1100. We’re open Monday through Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM, and we offer $0 down, 0% interest financing on upgrades.
