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The Florida Legislature approved a law last month that bans texting, emailing or instant messaging from a cell phone while driving. The bill, SB 52, makes Florida the 40^th state to make it a criminal offense to use a cell phone while operating a vehicle. Fort Myers personal injury lawyers hope that the new legislation, once passed, will prevent collisions and crashes caused by distracted driving.

Nearly one in five car crashes are caused by distracted driving, as more and more drivers begin to rely on smart phones for communication and navigation purposes. Driving analysts say that the time needed to read a text message is often short—as little as five to ten seconds—but even that minimal distraction to the driver is enough to cause an accident. According to motor vehicle safety from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 30 percent of motorists have reported texting or sending emails while on the road.

With the implementation of the new law, drivers caught using their cell phones will face fines and possibly other penalties. SB 52 makes texting and driving a secondary offense, meaning that a driver can be stopped for any traffic violation, such as running a red light or making an illegal U-turn, and can also be charged for paying more attention to a cell phone than to the road, should the officer notice any distractions. The penalty for driving while using a cell phone is currently set at a $30 fine, according to Fort Myers personal injury lawyers.

SB 52 does not penalize drivers for making voice calls or using a smart phone to navigate. Instead, the law focuses on the use of applications such as messaging and email, which require the user to type a response. Often, smart phone keyboards are small, and with the rise of touch screens, they are extremely sensitive.  Users have to be sure to check the text of the message they are typing to avoid errors, which escalates the dangers of utilizing such device while driving.

In the few seconds it takes to read a text on a cell phone screen, the road the driver is travelling on could have changed drastically. A driver’s reaction time is compromised by his or her divided attention. If the driver does not have time to adjust for the new and potentially dangerous scenarios, he may end up overcorrecting, or swerving to avoid the danger, putting himself and other drivers at risk. Florida Vehicle Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. recommends, “vehicle drivers need to stop distracted driving behaviors.  Accidents caused by distracted drivers change lives forever.” 

Cell phone companies AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint have teamed up to lead a campaign highlighting the dangers of texting or emailing while driving, and Florida’s new law brings home the message that distracted driving needs to be curtailed. Young drivers in particular have admitted to giving into the temptation to check their phones while out driving. With the help of the phone companies, Florida legislators hope that these efforts will cut down on the number of motorists who drive with their phones in hand.

At Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., our team of experienced lawyers represents anyone who has been injured in a car accident caused by distracted driving.