Police to Target Distracted Drivers in Friday Enforcement Operation

The Pasadena Police Department will conduct a special enforcement operation on Friday, July 10 focused on drivers suspected of violating California’s hands-free cell phone law.

During the operation, officers across the city will watch specifically for motorists holding or using a phone behind the wheel. Under California Vehicle Code Section 23123, drivers may not hold a phone or other electronic communications device while operating a vehicle — including to talk, text, or use an app — and may use a phone only in a hands-free manner.

A 2025 California Court of Appeal ruling extended that prohibition, finding that holding a phone for any purpose while driving, including checking GPS navigation, violates state law.

A first violation is punishable by a fine. A second violation within 36 months of a prior conviction for the same offense adds a point to the driver’s record.

Distracted driving remains a significant safety concern statewide. In 2022, it was a factor in 148 deaths on California roads, according to state figures, and a 2024 California statewide public-opinion survey found that nearly three-quarters of drivers named texting while driving as their top safety concern.

The Pasadena Police Department conducts hands-free enforcement details periodically as part of a statewide effort against distracted driving. Funding for the operations is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Police have urged drivers to put their phones away before starting the car — silencing notifications or storing the device out of reach — and to pull over to a safe, legal parking spot to make a call or set navigation.