If you haven’t been through Driver’s Ed recently, you may not be familiar with Florida’s driving and texting law until it’s too late—when an officer adds a texting while driving ticket to your speeding or careless driving ticket.
The Florida Ban on Texting While Driving Law, which went into effect in 2013, aims to make roadways safer by reducing texting, a major distraction, while driving. The ban is now mentioned in the Florida Class E Driver Manual Handbook, however, older drivers may not have received the memo.
Currently, Florida law does not make texting and driving a primary offense. That means another violation such as speeding must occur for you to get pulled over. First offenders will be subject to a fine and 3 points on their license. Those who cause an accident because of their texting or messaging will receive points on their license and the state may use their phone bills to show they were illegally texting.
Why is Texting and Driving Bad?
Distracted driving is a dangerous practice and is the major cause of most traffic accidents. It can take many forms. Some types of distracted driving, like eating and driving, involve manual distraction. Your hands are no longer on the wheel if you’re trying to get french fries into your mouth.
Another type of distraction involves your mind (cognitive distraction). Daydreaming can cause you to pay less attention to the road and increase your chance of having an accident. You can also be visually distracted, like when you look down to see where your water bottle rolled or what station you’re listening to.
Each distraction is pretty dangerous on its own. The problem with smartphones is that they cause distraction on all three levels. If you’re composing a text, your hand is off the wheel, you’re probably checking your spelling periodically, and you’re thinking about your message instead of the upcoming intersection.
This distraction creates a dangerous environment on the roadways and places you and other drivers at risk. There is no text or message important enough to risk your life over.
Florida’s ban on texting is one of the laxest texting laws in the nation, however, lobbyists are working hard to make texting while driving a primary offense. It’s a good time to start setting your phone down and paying attention to the road so you’ll be in the habit before the law changes. Plus, it could save your life.
Consulting With a Florida Texting While Driving Ticket Lawyer
If you’ve been pulled over and ticketed for texting while driving, you should consult with a Florida texting while driving ticket lawyer as soon as possible.
Texting while driving is a bad habit that has become pretty widespread thanks to the popularity and ease of texting, messaging, and email. But your safety should always come first.
If you believe you were unfairly stopped or ticketed, speaking with a Tampa texting while driving ticket lawyer can help you explore your legal options. Because Florida Ticket Firm specializes in fighting driving tickets, we are aware of the many different ways to challenge traffic tickets to help our clients. While we advise all our clients to focus on driving while they’re behind the wheel, we understand that mistakes happen and do our best to serve those who seek our help.
Traffic tickets are time sensitive. Reach out to Florida Ticket Firm today to get our team of knowledgeable Florida texting while driving ticket lawyers on your side.