A California appeals court ruled on Thursday that it is legal for drivers to look at maps on their mobile phones while driving.
Despite the ruling, it is still illegal for drivers to use their phones to talk and listen in conversations without a hands-held device, according to AllGov.
The 5th District Court of Appeal reversed the case of Fresno man Steven Spriggs, who was given a ticket in January of 2012 for looking at a map on his iPhone 4 while in traffic, Associated Press reported. Spriggs said that he is still against drivers endangering themselves with their phones while behind the wheel. Spriggs's son suffered a broken leg from a driver who was talking on his cellphone, and Spriggs said he would like to see a change in the law that gave him a ticket so that police are less burdened while doing their job.
"We're distracted all the time," Spriggs said. "If our distractions cause us to drive erratically, we should be arrested for driving erratically."
The California Highway Patrol stated that drivers can still get a ticket for actions such as texting while driving, San Jose Mercury News reported. CHP spokesman Sean Wilkenfeld said the CHP will still focus on enforcing laws involving distracted driving.
"As with every ruling, the department will see if any action is needed, but we will continue our enforcement the way we do it," Wilkenfeld said.
Judge Herbert Levy of the Fifth Appellate District stated that smartphones and other electronic devices were uncommon and only considered telephones when the law under which Spriggs was charged was written in 2006, according to AllGov.
"Although the Legislature was concerned about the distraction caused by operating a wireless telephone while holding it, the Legislature's focus was on prohibiting holding the telephone only while carrying on a conversation, not while using it for any other purpose," Levy said. "This is not surprising, given that when the statute was enacted in 2006, most wireless telephones were just that-a telephone- rather than an electronic device with multiple functions."
Spriggs said the Supreme Court Judges who confirmed his violation overreached when they charged him, Associated Press reported. Spriggs added that he hopes California legislators will fix the issue.
"They're going to have to do something," Spriggs said. "I just hope they take a look at the big picture."
