The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) has commended California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for signing legislation that bans cell phone use by motorists. According to the ASSE, the new law prohibits all drivers from using cell phones unless it is a hands-free model. The law is set to go into effect this year.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a jurisdiction-wide ban on driving while talking on a hand-held cellular phone is in place in California and six other localities including Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Utah, Washington, and the District of Columbia. The IIHS reports that there are detailed limitations placed on certain groups of drivers, such as school bus operators, who are prohibited from using cell phones while working in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Teens in the graduated licensing system are restricted in 17 states and the District of Columbia.

"Distracted driving is a safety problem," said Terrie Norris, regional vice president of ASSE, in a release. "ASSE's position is that operating a vehicle while using a cell phone is one of many potentially unsafe acts drivers do every day and needs to be addressed. We all know an accident can happen in a second."

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