With California lawmakers wrapping up yet another legislative season last week, a number of driving-related bills are on the way to becoming new laws. And motorists would do well to pay attention to them.

Some of the bills were written specifically with children in mind.

On Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 33, which bars 16- and 17-year-old drivers from talking on cell phones, whether they have hands-free models or not. The law takes effect on July 1, 2008 - the same day the statewide ban on the use of hand-held phones by any driver goes into effect.

The governor signed the bill about teens and cell phones during a ceremony at a high school in Northern California.

"Senate Bill 33 increases public safety by banning teen drivers from using all electronic devices while they are behind the wheel," Schwarzenegger said. "The simple fact is that teen drivers are more easily distracted. They are young, inexperienced, and they have slower reaction times."

The bill sponsor, Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, said his aim was not to punish teen drivers but to protect them until they turn 18. He said studies show 16-year-old drivers crash five times as often as 18-year-olds.

"If we can just get these kids to put down the PDA, the text messenger, the cell phone for a couple of years, we're going to save a lot of lives," Simitian said.

Sen. Jenny Oropeza, D-Long Beach, also said she sought to save lives with Senate Bill 7.

Oropeza proposed to ban smoking by drivers and passengers whenever there is someone else in the car who is under 18.

Her bill passed on Wednesday, the day the Legislature adjourned for the year - only to be called back to work again by the governor to address water and health care. But that's another story.

In any event, the smoking ban in cars where minors are present is on its way to the governor's desk. If Schwarzenegger signs it, drivers and passengers who light up in such circumstances will be subject to $100 fines, beginning in January.

Some of you are thinking this is too much government intrusion into our private lives. And intrusion it may be. But these bills could help keep us from compromising kids' health and safety.

Looking for up to the minute traffic and transit information in San Diego county? Try the area's traffic information line and Web site. A free phone call to 511 gets you drive times, road conditions, transit schedules and more. Web surfers can visit www.511sd.com for the same information.

Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (760) 745-6611, Ext. 2623, or ddowney@nctimes.com.