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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released some shocking statistics relating to distracted driving. In 2013:

• 10 percent of all drivers 15-19 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crashes.
• 3,154 people were killed and an estimated additional 424,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
• 10 percent of fatal crashes, 18 percent of injury crashes and 16 percent of all motor vehicle traffic crashes were reported as distraction-affected crashes.

According to a Virginia Tech study, text messaging increased the risk of a crash or near-crash by two times and resulted in drivers taking their eyes off the road for an average of 23 seconds total (the equivalent of driving blind at 55-mph for the length of an entire football field). Another study concluded that an estimated 620,000 vehicles were driven by people using handheld cell phones at any given time during the day in 2013.

These numbers are startling and it is important not just to put your own cellphone away when driving but it is also important to remain extremely alert for other drivers who may be driving while distracted.

Allowed Uses and Safety

There are numerous exceptions to Florida’s wireless communication prohibitions. The law does not apply to:

• Persons performing official duties (police officers, firefighters, etc.)
• Individuals reporting criminal or suspicious activity
• The use of cell phones for navigational purposes
• Using the phone to receive emergency information or information about weather alerts

Of course, simply because doing these things doesn’t break the law doesn’t mean that they are safe. Drivers should always remain aware of their surroundings and avoid distractions.

There are apps that prevent texting and driving. For example, Textecution is an app that cuts off texting capability when the device is moving faster than 10mph. AT&T’s DriveMode allows your phone to respond to incoming texts with a customizable “currently unavailable” message. Other apps exist to limit texting and driving capabilities and everyone should take whatever precautions are needed to stop.

Enforcement

Florida’s prohibition on the use of wireless devices while operating a vehicle is what’s known as a “secondary offense.” This means that enforcement of this law must be accomplished only as a secondary action when an operator of a motor vehicle has already been detained for a suspected violation of another law. As such, an officer cannot pull someone over for texting-and-driving without having another reason for doing so, such as speeding.

Law enforcement officers have said that changing the law from a secondary to a primary offense would make enforcement much easier. However, such efforts have been met with resistance and change is unlikely anytime soon.

Injured? Let the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. Help

If you were involved in a car accident caused by a driver who was texting, contact experienced Naples personal injury lawyer Randall Spivey today. It’s important that competent legal and medical advice is sought as quickly as possible after an accident. Mr. Spivey and his team can assist you through the recovery process to ensure that you receive all of the compensation to which you may be entitled.