The CHP and some Bay Area police departments are participating today in a second crackdown on drivers who illegally use cell phones.

The law requiring drivers to go hands-free when using cell phones easily is one of the most ignored laws in the state. Plus holding a cell phone while driving, like any other distraction, is unsafe. Thus the crackdown.

The first day of the crackdown was Tuesday the 10th when CHP officers were told to be extra vigilant for cell phone scofflaws. Click here to read about that first day.

CHP Officer Jon Sloat, spokesman for the Santa Rosa CHP branch, said local officers issued nine cell phone tickets — typically they hand out about 100 a month, or about 3.3 a day — and one verbal warning. That was for a driver who spoke to a Press Democrat reporter and photographer riding with a CHP officer. (Hey, hanging out with The Press Democrat has its benefits.)

Other CHP officers across the Bay Area issued 350 citations. A similar crackdown on Aug. 11, 2009, generated more than 300 tickets.

The Mendocino County CHP reported handing out one cell phone ticket, compared to three or four a day usually, and the Lake County CHP reported giving out no such citations.

If you get a cell phone ticket, it’s going to cost you $142 ($20 base fine plus $122 in state and county fees) for the first offense and
$256 ($50 base fine and $206 in state and county fees) for subsequent tickets. A state senator’s effort to basically double those base fines was killed last week in the Assembly. Click here to read about all of the fees that get piled on.