Florida Bans Texting While Driving

May 29, 2013

 

It’s official. The State of Florida has banned texting-while-driving. On May 28, 2013, Governor Rick Scott signed a new law aimed at preventing distracted driving. The new law which takes effect immediately, allows a law enforcement officer to pull over a driver and issue a citation for texting-while-driving only if the driver has committed another infraction, like speeding, running a red light , a broken taillight, or expired tag. This is the same way the seat-belt law was introduced. It started out as a non-stoppable offense and had to be combined with a moving violation. Over time, the seat-belt law was changed and is now treated as a stand-alone moving violation.

 

Texting-while-driving has become a serious problem adding to distracted driving-related accidents. A study by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that each day in the United States, more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,060 people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver. A CDC study analyzed 2011 data on distracted driving, including talking, texting, and reading email behind the wheel and one of the study’s findings showed that 31% of U.S. drivers ages 18-64 reported that they had read or sent text messages or email messages while driving at least once within the 30 days before they were surveyed.

In the last several years, many states have passed laws prohibiting texting-while-driving. The federal government is also involved: Beginning in 2010, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration enacted a ban that prohibits commercial vehicle drivers from texting while driving.

Laws banning texting-while-driving are controversial. Some studies show that these types of laws do not reduce the number of crashes when compared with states where texting-while-driving is still allowed. One explanation is that cell phone use is still permitted by a driver, just not texting. This has led many safety experts to argue in favor of a total ban on cell phone use by a driver. The National Safety Council supports a total ban.

For now, you can still talk on your cell phone while driving in Florida. Just no texting.

 

The post Florida Bans Texting While Driving appeared first on Crary Buchanan .

 


RECENT POSTS

TITLE INSURANCE
24 Apr, 2023
Read our blog and know about TITLE INSURANCE: IT’S IMPORTANT By Lawrence E. Crary III, Esq. For more information, contact us at (772) 287-2600
Uncontested divorce lawyer
10 Apr, 2023
If you are considering filing for an uncontested divorce, contact an experienced divorce lawyer to learn more about your rights and options.
boat accident lawyer
By Admin 03 Oct, 2022
If you have been involved in a boat accident, you may need to hire an experienced boat accident lawyer to help you navigate the legal process and protect your rights.
catastrophic injury attorney
By Admin 26 Sep, 2022
You must hire a catastrophic injury attorney if you’ve been in an accident resulting in a catastrophic injury. Call us at - (772) 287-2600
pedestrian accident lawyer
By Admin 19 Sep, 2022
Are you injured as a pedestrian in Florida? Get insights into personal injury claims and the importance of hiring a skilled lawyer.

CONTACT US

Share by: