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Bills Filed To Ban Texting While Driving In Florida
October 10, 2011
A House Republican on Friday filed a bill that would ban “texting while driving.”
Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota, filed the measure, which would ban people who are driving from “manually typing or entering multiple letters, numbers, symbols, or other characters into a wireless communications device …. for the purpose of nonvoice interpersonal communication, including, but not limited to, communication methods known as texting, e-mailing, and instant messaging.”
People in the driver’s seat of a parked car wouldn’t be covered by the bill, and enforcement would be as a secondary offense, meaning police wouldn’t be able to pull a driver over for an infraction, but if they saw a driver texting and pulled them over for something else they’d be able to cite them for violating the texting ban.
There’s also an exemption for using a cell phone to navigate.
The same bill was filed earlier this week in the Senate by Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice. Senate President Mike Haridopolos noted this week that similar legislation passed the Senate earlier this year, and declined to predict whether it would again.
“That’ll be an up-or-down vote that happens in the Senate,” said Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island. The measure didn’t pass the House this year.
By The News Service of Florida
Comments
7 Responses to “Bills Filed To Ban Texting While Driving In Florida”
IMO… Texting and driving is worse than drinking and driving. At least the one’s that are drunk are trying to pay attention to the road. It’s about time they try to do something to stop these people who endanger all of us on the roads.
I dont know what all the hype is all about. years ago we didnt have phones in our pockets and cars….and we waited to get home to call and be called …..and low and behold, we survived! Wait,,,,its as simple as pulling off the road….its not worth ur life!
@Molino-Anon, it is good of you to support law enforcement-as do I.
However, they are trained in firearms (so they never miss and always shoot the right person); rules of evidence (therefore no bad cases are ever made and thrown out of court), physical training (no one is ever out of shape-just like on television); and, yes, driving (so they never turn in front of oncoming traffic, crash during high-speed chases).
Your premise is flawed.
Studies have shown that texting/e-mailing results in the same effects on driving ability as drinking and driving. Actually, some studies have shown that using the phone (whether hands-free or not) can have similar effects.
Laws should be equally applied to everyone whether traffic or criminal or civil. Either we all can or we all can’t; unless we can pass a performance test and get a special endorsement on our driver’s license.
Optimistic, I know.
I asked a friend of mine why he did not communicate verbally with his girlfriend, instead of texting. His reply was, she was too modest to convey her intentions verbally. Good Grief Victorian Idiot. Lady if you cant discuss it, dont do it, and do not text about it while you drive. I would imagine verbal interface is just around the corner for the L/E computers.
@GRM correct me if I’m wrong, but cops are trained in offensive and defensive driving classes before they are issued a squad, so this makes them more capable at running said tags on their laptop while following someone?
I think its high time people are fined for texting while driving. I’d even go as far as saying using a cellphone period while driving. Pull off the road, stop at a gas station, or whatever it is you need to do to get stopped THEN text your fingers off or yap on your cellphone.
It’s so annoying to be behind someone driving 10mph slower than the speed limit, with no way to pass them, while they’re fiddling with their cellphone. I feel like yanking them out their car at the first red light and stomping their phone into dust.
-Molino-Anon hater of cellphones
Keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel…I personally knew a victim of a cellphone talkin driver and I would like the penalties to be par with a DUI..this “It was an accident” just doesn’t cut it..being held accountable for ones actions does. If you cause harm to Anybody because of your lack of due caution while behind the wheel you should pay a lot more than the standard $166. fine. Plenty of people are dyin from this but you still have people sayin everybody else does it so why can’t I..I do not use a cellphone when I drive and I always wear my helmet or seatbelt..
Does this include cops and their laptops ? Before you haters and cop lovers get fired up !!!!!! We have all text and/or phone a friend while driving. I think the law is to help keep our mind and eyes on the road .We all or should I say most have seen a cop or two on their laptops while driving !!!!!! Yes yes yes I know that the laptops lets them run tags, find stolen tags , and stolen cars BUT it takes their eyes OFF THE ROAD just like texting