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Scofflaw Maria Shriver Caught Talking On Cell Phone While Driving

by Yuliya Talmazan | October 14, 2009 at 09:27 am

834 views | 30 Recommendations | 6 comments

Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver are in the midst of a controversy involving Shriver violating a state law, which Schwarzenegger himself signed.

According to TMZ.com, Maria Shriver, the wife of California's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, was caught talking on her cell phone while driving in Brentwood last weekend, something that California's new driving law prohibits. Ironically, the law was signed last year by her husband.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) today issued an important reminder to all motorists that two new restrictions on the use of cellular phones while driving go into effect on July 1. The first law prohibits anyone from using a hand-held cell phone while operating a vehicle on California roadways.

But, it was not the first time that Shriver was seen talking and driving. Shriver is now called a scofflaw for violating the law way too many times. By definition, a scofflaw is somebody who habitually flouts or violates the law.

Schwarzenegger made a comment on Twitter, saying "there is going to be swift action" in regards to Shriver's violations. Coming out from the former Terminator's mouth, this sounds ominous.

California's ban on handheld mobile phone use in cars carries a $US20 ($22) fine for the first offence and a $US50 fine for the second.

The statistics around people talking on their cell phones while driving is disturbing:

According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3 percent of drivers are talking on hand-held cell phones at any given time.

IIHS revealed recently that drivers using phones are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.

Every day in 2008, over 800,000 people were texting, making calls, or using a handheld cell phone while driving in the United States. With distracted driving killing nearly 6,000 Americans in the same year, it's no mystery that cell phone use is risky for drivers.

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Hugh Askew

at 10:03 on October 14th, 2009

txt 2 Maria put dwn the fone pay yr fine.

a211423

at 10:05 on October 14th, 2009

Raise your hand, if you have NOT answered your cell phone whilst driving since the law went into effect.

Blue Crush

at 10:30 on October 14th, 2009

This law is just coming into effect in Toronto this month, and it doesn't take much to make your phone hands free. You think she'd have it done by now.

Roy C

at 11:27 on October 14th, 2009

Multiple citations! Scofflaw! Is she a Kennedy or what?

israeli.agent

at 11:40 on October 14th, 2009

"...hands free..."

Many studies seems to prove that using hands free does not really help the safety factor while driving. The best way is not to attend the phone at all, while driving.

If you think you can drive safely when chatting on your hands-free mobile phone kit, then think again.

Mounting evidence reveals that hands-free mobile phone calls can significantly diminish your driving skills, in spite of claims to the contrary by equipment manufacturers.

The latest report on the dangers of hands-free mobile use comes from a long-term study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the US, and comes amid calls from safety advocates that all in-car mobile phone use be banned there.

.Agent.