5th District Court of Appeals says reading maps on cell phones in car legal.
The Fifth District Court of Appeals in Fresno, reversed, on Thursday, February 27, 2014, a trial court ruling finding a man guilty for reading a map on his iPhone for violating Section 23123(a) of the California Vehicle Code. The section reads, “A person shall not drive a motor vehicle while using a wireless telephone unless that telephone is specifically designed and configured to allow hands-free listening and talking, and is used in that manner while driving.” The court of appeals found that the statute prevented listening and talking on a telephone call, not using a hand-held device for other functions. Section 23123.5 of the California Vehicle Code prevents the use of a held-hand device for texting. The court found that 23123(a) does not prevent someone from using a held-hand device for anything other than “talking and listening”. The Attorney General who represented the People of the State of California in this appeal has not decided whet...