Under California law, when may a minor legally use a cell phone while driving?
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A.
To make an emergency call. Correct
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B.
To answer a parent's incoming call.
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C.
When stopped at a red light.
The answer is "To make an emergency call."
The manual's sole exception to the minor cell phone ban is a call for emergency assistance. Drivers assume a parent's call counts because parental calls feel important, but the exception hinges on the emergency, not on who is calling.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. To answer a parent's incoming call.
The manual's exception covers emergency calls, not family calls. This answer assumes parental permission overrides the minor rule.
C. When stopped at a red light.
The minor rule has no stopped-vehicle exception; only emergency calls are allowed. This answer treats a stop as being off the road, borrowing from an adult habit the minor rule does not share.
This question tests your knowledge of Distracted Driving in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Minors and Cell Phones," p.71..
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