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Scott Signs Florida Texting While Driving Ban Into Law
May 29, 2013
Texting while driving on Florida roads will be illegal in beginning this fall. Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Tuesday that will allow motorists to be ticketed for texting while driving if they are pulled over for other traffic infractions.
The texting law, which has been years in the making, makes it illegal to read or type texts or emails while driving.
“Texting while driving is an issue we see on our roads every day, and the distractions it causes has negatively affected too many Floridians,” Senate bill sponsor Nancy Detert, R-Venice, said in a news release after attending the signing with Scott at Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High School in Miami.
Florida joins 38 states and the District of Columbia that have anti-texting and driving laws on the books for all motorists. Three other states have laws against texting by motorists who are under 21 years old or have learners’ permits.
“As a father and a grandfather, texting while driving is something that concerns me when my loved ones are on the road. The 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are known as the deadliest days on the road for teenagers. We must do everything we can at the state level to keep our teenagers and everyone on our roads safe. I cannot think of a better time to officially sign this bill into law,” Scott said.
Brenda Smith, AAA motor club manager in Tallahassee, said motorists regardless of age will have to adjust to not texting, similar to the reluctance some had to putting on seat belts after their use became law.
“As time went on you saw how seat belts actually saved lives, the first thing we’ve learned to do is to buckle up,” Smith said. “It will take some time about the texting, because so many people are in the habit of doing that. But once you don’t do that you’ll find out that you really don’t have the need to do that while you’re driving.”
The law, which becomes effective Oct. 1, comes with a number of caveats.
A ticket, worth $30 plus court costs, can only be issued for what is known as a secondary offense — if the motorist had been pulled over for another infraction. When determining whether violations have occurred, billing records for wireless devices can only be accessed in the event of crashes that result in death or personal injury.
Also, the measure provides exceptions for use of GPS devices, talk-to-text technology and for reporting criminal behavior. It also allows texting while stopped, such as at red lights.
The News Service Florida contributed to this report.
Pictured top: Gov. Rick Scott signs a new law banning texting while driving Tuesday at the Mourning Senior High School in North Miami. Pictured inset: Scott signs a pledge not to text and drive. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
12 Responses to “Scott Signs Florida Texting While Driving Ban Into Law”
My daughter was stopped at a redlight and checked a text message and was pulled over by a cop in Panama CIty Florida. She was gave a warning. She does not text while driving but like i said she was at a redlight that had just turned red and that she knows was a long red light. Don’t get me wrong I understand the bill and agree with it but my only thing I am really trying to point out is that she was pulled over just for that. No other offense.
“A ticket, worth $30 plus court costs, can only be issued for what is known as a secondary offense”
Should be 10 times that.
Agree with Jay. Ban cell phones too. Need to use cell? PULL OVER !!!
Ya’ll just don’t seem to get what the law is all about. It may be a secondary offense by law…but will become a serious problem for the driver if they have an accident and it is shown they were texting at that time. Not only is it another charge…but it will also show you were negligent and open you to larger lawsuits. Negligence is an extra factor in a lawsuit…and if you are texting…you just handed them a judgement against you! So go ahead and text and hope you never cause an accident. If something is so important that you have to read and respond…then take a minute and pull yourself over, stop the car, and text away!!! I don’t know anything you can text that is worth your life…for the life of another innocent driver/passenger!!!!
The law, as written, cannot be enforced unless there is a crash. The driver would have to admit to texting to get a ticket because there are other (legal) excuses to be typing or reading the phone (GPS).
Without phone records (that are not available without a crash) there is virtually no way to prove it occurred.
This is a purely political “feel good” law.
Some people don’t even try to hide it. I’ve been behind people many times at night and I can see their phones glowing through their back window, this is while they’re weaving side to side and can’t maintain a constant speed. These people get on my nerves so bad I usually have to pass them.
let’s ban cellphones and that will stop death and crimes. as obama says, if only one child is saved it is worth it.
big deal, it cannot be inforced. as a secondary offense it has no teeth. the police can watch it happen and can do nothing about it. what a waste of time and money.
“My2Cents” — the law specifically exempts law enforcement, emergency responders, etc.
You know you look at the picture of all of these educated people and you wonder how many of them present really believe this law will yield any significant results… and how many of those standing there are guilty on a daily basis for their own texting habits while driving… I’ll bet you there are more guilty ones there that will not stop texting /reading texts as they stand there as window dressing for another attempt by lawmakers to do nothing but generate a little revenue for the state…making this a secondary offense just goes to show what little value they place on life… pathetic…
@ CW….I couldn’t agree more with you!
It isn’t going to do no good for a bill to be signed unless all LEO’s will take time to enforce it! The sad part of it also is…LEO’s text, use their computers, among doing other things in their car while driving and half of them can’t even pay attention to the road. So why bother is my thought and opinion on the process.
Not only are others a hazard to other drivers, but so are the LEO’s who are guilty of doing the same thing because they wear a badge. The extremely sad part about it is…there are some LEO’s that take PRIDE in their jobs to serve and protect, while others it’s just a paycheck and a power struggle.
Unfortunately it won’t do any good, it’s illegal to text and drive in Alabama but people still do it.
Too Bad they did not Ban the use of Cell Phones in the same bill. I get behind drivers talking on Cell Phones all the time that are not paying attention to the road ahead. They are also Hazards to other Drivers!