Calling someone on the drive home, and what California law allows

The drive home can be a good time to catch up with a parent or an old friend. Before you do, it helps to know the rules, especially in California, where they are specific.

Under California Vehicle Code Section 23123.5, you may not drive while holding and operating a phone. A call is allowed only if the phone is set up for voice-operated, hands-free use and you use it that way. You may touch the phone only if it is mounted on the dashboard, the center console or the windshield in a spot that does not block your view, and only with a single tap or swipe to turn a feature on or off. Drivers under 18 may not use a phone while driving at all, even hands-free, under Section 23124.

In practice, that means placing the call before you pull out, or using your car's voice controls or a voice assistant. Scrolling through contacts at a red light still counts as operating the phone. The base fine is $20 for a first offense and $50 after that, and fees make the real cost much higher.

Legal is not the same as free of distraction, so keep the call easy. Tell the person you are driving, save heavy conversations for later, and hang up if traffic or weather gets difficult. Rules differ in other states, so check your own state's law if you live outside California.

Before you leave work today, mount your phone, pick one person to call and start the call by voice once you are on your way. A ten-minute catch-up still counts.