Nathaniel Gabriel Porter was fined $158 after being cited for holding his phone while using a navigation app while driving. On June 3, the California 6th District Court of Appeal upheld the fine, ruling that the act violated state traffic laws that ban any handheld use of mobile devices while operating a vehicle.
At the time of the citation, Porter challenged the ticket in Santa Clara County Superior Court, which rejected his argument and ordered him to pay the fine. He then appealed to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court, which overturned the decision, stating that merely viewing navigation directions without interacting with the phone did not amount to a violation of the law.
However, the California Court of Appeal reversed that ruling, stating that holding a phone, even just to look at a map, is illegal under current law. The court concluded that any act of holding a phone while driving poses a risk by diverting the driver’s attention.
“Simply looking at a screen while holding the phone can distract the driver and lead to accidents,” the court stated in its opinion.
Court interprets 2016 traffic law more strictly
California’s driving law, revised in 2016, prohibits any mobile phone use that diverts the driver’s attention. The court emphasized that smartphones now function as more than communication tools—they are “pocket computers” capable of running apps, games, and navigation systems that may cause distractions.
The ruling clarified that drivers may operate phones mounted to the vehicle using a single touch, but handheld use—including checking maps—is not allowed.
Legal experts expect the stricter interpretation to influence how similar violations are cited and enforced moving forward.
BY BRIAN CHOI [choi.inseong@koreadaily.com]
