SAN DIEGO -- It is something thousands of us have done thousands of times -- talking on our cell phones while driving across town. We know it's not safe but we do it anyway.

"Any department is able to write citations on July 1," said Monica Munoz of the San Diego Police Department.

The hands-free phone law on July 1 will require drivers to put the phone down and jam a special device into their ears. But if you forget, you might get lucky. Not every police officer in your rearview mirror will give you a ticket.

SDPD will be giving motorists a 30-day grace period, and will begin to fully enforce the new law on August 1.

"And during that time, what we'll do is if we do stop someone and they happen to be violating that particular law, we'll educate them and let them know what it is, as far as the change," said Munoz.

A California Highway Patrol spokesman told 10News that Californians had an entire year to learn the law and they would be handing out tickets on July 1.

Other police departments in San Diego County did not have a grace period and would be enforcing the law on July 1.

SDPD and the Oceanside Police Department will be the only departments to cut drivers some slack until August 1.