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Florida Texting While Driving Bills Move Forward
March 7, 2013
The sponsor of a measure to ban texting while driving in many cases said she thinks the proposal has a good chance to pass this year in the House, where it has been held up in the past by leaders who didn’t like the idea.
The bill was approved unanimously Wednesday in the Senate Communications, Energy and Public Utilities Committee. But the real road block for many highway safety bills that some say infringe on personal liberties has always been in the House.
Senate sponsor Nancy Detert said House Speaker Will Weatherford assured her it would be heard.
“We have a really good chance this year,” said Detert, R-Venice. “The speaker last year (Dean Cannon) did not like the bill and would not let it be heard in one committee. This year’s speaker, I think, will at least allow his chamber to speak.”
In fact, the House version of Detert’s legislation by Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, is on the agenda for the House Transportation and Highway Safety Committee on Thursday.
The bills would make texting while driving a secondary offense, meaning drivers would have to be pulled over for something else before they could get a secondary ticket for texting.
The bill has exceptions, such as allowing the use of “talk-to-text” technology, and allowing texting while a vehicle is stopped, such as at a red light.
By The News Service of Florida
Comments
8 Responses to “Florida Texting While Driving Bills Move Forward”
There should be a ban on use of ALL electronic devices while driving. There are more single car accidents recently then there has ever been in the history of automobiles.
I totally agree with a texting ban while driving. i think it should be a primary stop because it is less disputeable. and fyi U.S case law allows an offenders phone to be searched only incident to lawful arrest a traffic infraction is not justible.
I can only continue to pray this bill is passed for the safety of all others. In January 09′ I was turn right with my blinker on and was rear ended at approx 60 MPH. Since 09′ I’ve had {3} back surgeries, {2} neck surgeries, right shoulder surgery, and countless injections for ongoing pain. My surgeon is one of the best, but I just so happen to be the one who has the domino affect happening. I am now facing yet a another possible middle back surgery. It is now 2013 and still have major anxiety driving especially when I see someone behind me texting or talking on their cell phone riding to close. My whole family’s lives have changed. Now I am totally disabled and hate the fact that I am not able to work on a daily basis due to someone driving wreckless and texting.
My favorites are the ones that think they can text at a stop light or left turn light, and of course it turns green and they are totally unaware. I love these people…they get the full force of my horn for as long as I am behind them.
Its against the law in AL already but it hasn’t seemed to help. I see phones glowing through people’s back windows all the time while driving home at night (do they think we can’t see them?), these are the ones weaving side to side and not maintaining a constant speed. I pass them first chance I get.
Distracted driving is already against the law.
I wish these people would spend more time on things that matter instead of filling their days with redundant legislation that will bring no meaningful benefit to the citizens of Florida.
If it’s that important pull over till the conversation’s over.
I noticed that there is another bill being proposed to require a search warrant to look at the phone of the suspected texter. If that bill is passed it will make this bill all but impossible to enforce.
GREAT.
I almost got hit by a texting fool.
Hope it passes and they enforce it.
“The bills would make texting while driving a secondary offense, ”
Already too wimpy.
IMHO
$1000 first offense
Second. Lose license for 6 months.