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Stronger Florida Texting And Driving Ban Heads To The Governor
April 30, 2019
Florida legislators on Monday gave final approval to a measure strengthening the current law prohibiting texting and driving.
The bill changes current enforcement of the ban from a secondary offense to a primary offense – enabling law enforcement officers to stop a vehicle solely for texting while driving. Drivers will also be prohibited from using their handheld device while driving in active construction and school zones.
The bill now heads to heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis, and with his signature it will go into effect July 1. When signed into law, Florida will become the 45th state to enact a primary enforcement text messaging ban for all drivers.
“By strengthening the ban on texting while driving, Florida legislators are sending a strong message about this dangerous form of driver distraction,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “AAA has long advocated for comprehensive distracted driving legislation and this is a major step forward in improving the safety on Florida roads. Although this law may encourage a shift of habit to in-vehicle systems, drivers should know that voice-to-text technology can also be distracting. AAA urges drivers to focus on road and avoid any form of texting while behind the wheel.”
The legislation does not change the existing penalties associated with texting and driving. The first violation of the ban is a non-moving violation, carrying a $30 base fine plus court costs and fees. A second or subsequent violation committed within five years is a moving violation, carrying a $60 base fine plus court costs and fees.
Comments
25 Responses to “Stronger Florida Texting And Driving Ban Heads To The Governor”
If a cdl trucker is caught texting and driving it a $2000.00 fine and goes against his csa score, this should also apply to everyone else.
If after the third time,
–YOU LOST YOUR PHONE–
I bet that would get someones attention !!!!!!!!!
The fine set by the legislators is $30.00 but after court fees and all the extra fees set forth by the individual county the fine will be a non- moving traffic violation of $116.00 for Santa Rosa and Escambia. Same fine mount as a seat belt citation
So my question is this, who is going to ticket the cops who are always texting and driving? I guess no laws apply to LEO’s as I am always seeing them violating traffic laws. Do as I saw not as I do I guess.
this will stop nothing, people have a they want catch me attitude and the fine is cheap as it is.
You’ve got to be kidding. $30 or even $60 will not stop texting. Someone who spends $1000 for a phone is not going to care about a $30 fine. If the legislators truly wanted to curb texting and driving, the initial fine should be $200-$300. Subsequent violations should include an even greater fine along with license suspension. This smells like a way to generate revenue, nothing more.
Texting while driving kills more people than drunk drivers. What is a $30 fine compared to all the expenses of a dui. This is nonsense. Our legal system is sad….
Need bigger fines and points for people to stop the habit, not just nickel and dime them for revenue.
Watched a pcola motorcycle cop texting while driving his motorcycle…
a lady on I-10 had her left leg up on her dashboard—driving, AND reading a book, she passed me and I had to speed up to do a double take…yes, it was real.
and some people should know that there is a speed limit not a suggestion, especially in school zones.45mph does not mean 60 and 20 does not mean 25 to 30 in school zones. yellow light means go like hell, right barry.
should be the fine that they charge for dui, 30 and 60 dollars is nothing.
if the voice-to-text technology can also be so distracting then we need to outlaw talking to anyone in the car with you, that too is distracting the same as tuning your radio.
Good one Anonymous
And you can get them on Speeding for no reason also
This $30.00 Fee is fine for now, the state should generate about $30,000,000.00
in a year with all the Text and Driving I see everyday. The second offence is a moving Violation, (What are the Points?). Can citizens give the Police a summons for Texting and Driving also? (Just asking). Maybe the next Law can be “SLOW TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT”. Some people don’t realize that there is a RIGHT LANE on the road.
Will this apply to law enforcement officers who I have seen text and driving??????
The fine is not high enough. If you want this to have any kind of bearing the first violation should be a minimum $200. Come on people, $30, you’ve got to be wasting your time
To all of you saying phone companies take texting out of phones or use gps to shut the phone down or make insurance companies double premiums all you are suggesting is putting these companies out of business because that is exactly what would happen thus it will not work because companies are in business to make money not save lives.
As far as this measure working all those saying “to little to late” or “not enough leos” you my friends have hit the nail on the head.
I see texting drivers all the time weaving left and right running off the road or drifting into oncoming traffic endangering everyone’s life on the road this really burns my biscuit! So what do I do about it? I HONK MY HORN that’s why you have that in your car to alert other of your presence and yank their attention back on the road!! This has worked for me 100% of the time they always and I mean always jerk their heads up in the most satisfying manner. What do you do if they go right back to the phone? HONK AGAIN!
It really is that simple the police cant do this alone we have to be responsible not only for ourselves when we drive but other drivers as well. I know that we are taught that we are only responsible for our own behavior but when you are on the road that is absolutely not true. So lend your fellow drivers a hand when you see them texting and driving honk your horn get their attention and keep doing it until they stop.
Why not get the insurance companies involved. First offense your insurance premiums double, second offense your insurance is canceled.
This is great. Hope it gets signed. I see TONS of people on phones when I ride my motorcycle. Its scary thinking that people are driving down the highway at 70+mph not looking at the road. Its not just young people also, its older folks as well.
This is a simple fix. Put into law any and all cell phone companies can no longer have texting on any and all cell phones. I know I’ll probably get a lot of hate replies, but go for it. I don’t care. This is how I feel about texting, and I’m sure the families of loved ones that have been killed in an auto accident cause the driver was texting and driving, would feel the same way.
SIGN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOT tough enough!
Too bad the governor is going easy in FL. Washington, DC has my favorite, $200.00 and jail time for third offense.
Distracted driving penalties should be par with D.U.I. They both have the same results. Dead is Dead. It shouldn’t matter if it’s a cellphone, hamburger or beer bottle in your hand..
GOOD! I see this all the time, and it’s just plain dangerous.
Most smart phones these days have GPS
When GPS detects you are moving it could be programed to shut the phone down in the text mode. Maybe the manufactures are not so smart
This will be like shooting fish in a barrel – this so called strong message is way past due – this minimal effort should have been implemented when the first life was loss due to texting while driving.
You will not deter anyone from continuing putting themselves and everyone else on the road at risk with these lame fines – hurting violators in the wallet hard is the only thing that will make them think twice – If you had enough LEO’s to take on this task with any effect the revenue generated from fines would be huge.
Texting/reading texts while driving is a scourge just like the drunks behind the wheel. So you legislators go ahead and pat yourselves on the back – this is too little too late,