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Lawmakers all across the country have searched for ways to keep drivers as safe as possible while traveling America’s roadways. We all know that, unfortunately, automobile collisions are a daily occurrence; but the reasons for the collisions vary greatly. In recent years, as technology has improved and gadgetry has become the “it” thing for people young and old, more and more of the auto accidents that occur happen due to driver distraction--namely texting while driving.

As of now, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 45 states (and the District of Columbia) have laws that ban drivers from texting. Two states (Montana and Arizona) do not have a texting ban at all, while three other states (Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma) have partial texting bans.

Ft. Myers personal injury lawyer Randall Spivey knows all too well of the devastation texting while driving has caused to so many Florida families and others throughout the U.S. There have been numerous studies showing that drivers (primarily teens and younger adults) admitted to using their phones to not only text, but to send and/or read email while operating motor vehicles. However, a recent study done by Texas A&M School of Public Health researchers shows that the state-level bans on texting that do exist may be actually working to curb accident-related injuries.

What Researchers Found

According to a Newsmax Health article, researchers learned that between 2003 and 2010, hospitalizations related to automobile collisions had fallen in states that had “relatively strict” bans on texting while driving, noting that the hospitalization rate fell by 7 percent in those states. A Texas A&M assistant professor did note, however, that their findings did not prove that the bans on texting were what caused the decline exclusively.

The researchers also considered additional factors that may have led to the decline, such as teen driving restrictions and ever-changing laws related to speeding, handheld cell phones and drunk driving. Still, the researchers ultimately found that the texting bans were linked to fewer hospital stays due to auto accidents.

Florida’s Laws

Florida is one of the states that has a ban on texting while driving. More specifically, the law bans the use of all wireless communication devices while driving, and it applies to people of all ages -- not just teenagers. However, many people have argued that the law does not go far enough to protect drivers, mainly because it is only a secondary offense instead of a primary offense.

In laymen’s terms, that means that law enforcement officers cannot stop a driver for violating the rule if that is the only law being violated at the time of the stop -- the driver must have committed some other traffic infraction. Additionally, some argue that the punishment associated with a violation of the ban is not severe enough since it is only punishable by a small fine of $30 (and in cases where an accident occurred, the driver will incur six points on his or her license).

The Texas A&M study found that the lower hospitalization rates were more significant in the states where the texting ban was a primary offense and the laws were strictly enforced.

If you have sustained injuries due to a driver who was texting or negligent in any way, help is available. Contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. today to learn more about your legal options.