Driving While Texting

Drivers Distracted by Cell Phones Not Yet Addressed by Florida Legislature

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on November 4, 2009

Recently, there has been plenty of media coverage and evidence to indicate that driving while texting or talking on a cell phone significantly reduces a driver’s ability to focus on driving their vehicle. All these telecommunications devices are wonderful, but multiple studies have shown that talking or texting while driving is far more dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol. In Florida, a very disturbing and increasingly common cause of car accidents is drivers distracted by talking or texting on their cell phone. Stop at any stoplight and at least half of the drivers around you will be talking on their phones. Florida has not banned the use of cell phones while driving. Florida Senate Bill 172, or “Heather’s Law”, which would have restricted the use of cell phones while driving-died in committee in May 2009. The existing law simply states that drivers must keep their vehicles under control. However, given the rising number of accidents from distracted drivers from minor fender benders to horrible head-on collisions, it is in everyone’s best interests that Florida’s lawmakers pass legislation with some teeth in it to discourage cell phone use while driving.

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