Will Florida Soon Have New Restrictions on Texting and Driving?

Posted by: DFX on Feb 18, 2017

driving-844132_640If Florida politicians succeed, drivers aged 15, 16, and 17 who are caught texting while driving could be faced with much more serious punishment. There are two South Florida politicians working to make this law: Democrat Emily Slosberg from Boca Raton and Republican Rene Garcia from Miami. What would this mean for teens? And would it affect the number of Florida auto accidents?

There may be good reason for these new restrictions

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which studies trends on our roads, said that there was an almost 9% increase in 2015 in fatalities that were the result of drivers being distracted – and texting while driving is a major cause of distraction.

In Florida, the stats are even more alarming. According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles division, almost 17% of auto accidents that led to injuries involved distracted driving, and more than 7% of fatal accidents involved distracted driving.

What do these numbers mean? In Florida, about 40,000 more people were injured as a result of distracted driving and about 215 were killed as a result of it. Compare these rates to 2011, when distracted driving was involved in fewer than one in ten of fatal traffic accidents.

Distracted drivers versus drunk drivers

A few studies have even suggested that drivers who are distracted by their cell phones are as bad as drunk drivers when it comes to increasing danger. People who support the changes want the police to be able to act proactively to fine drivers who aren’t keeping their eyes on the road. Those who don’t support the idea state that they don’t want the government to add further restrictions to what we’re allowed to do on the road.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a car accident?

If you or a loved one has been injured in a texting while driving accident, then now is the time to contact the Florida Accident Attorneys. At Gilbert and Smallman, you can expect us to understand the legalities of these cases from inside and out. We will fight to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve.

One of the many reasons to work with our experienced staff is that we take your case on a contingency basis – which means you don’t have to pay a cent until your case is settled – and we offer free consultations. There is no risk so call us today!