Florida House Passes Bill Making Texting and Driving a Primary Offense

 

Lawmakers in Tallahassee this week heard two important bills aimed at ending distracted driving, Senate Bill 76 and House Bill 107. Both bills specifically target cell phone use behind the wheel. The House voted 104-9 on the proposal (HB 107) by Rep. Jackie Toledo, R-Tampa, and Rep. Emily Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, that would shift texting while driving from a “secondary” offense to a “primary” offense.

HB 107, sponsored by Rep. Jackie Toledo, R-Tampa, and Rep. Emily Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, would among other things, take texting and driving from a secondary offense to a primary offense. Under current law, a police officer cannot pull someone over simply because that person is texting and driving. The driver must commit another infraction first- for example, speeding or reckless driving.  As a primary offense, police would be able to pull a driver over just for the act of texting and driving. 

As part of the House bill, law-enforcement officers would have to record the race and ethnicity of people who receive citations for texting while driving, which could allow tracking if certain motorists are being targeted.

All eyes are now on the Senate to see what they will do with companion bill SB 76 on Wednesday. The bills eventually need to match up before being sent to the governor’s desk. 

What to Do if Involved in a Distracted Driving Accident.

It is easy to see that distracted drivers are frequently at fault for car accidents on Florida’s roads. This means other drivers and passengers are affected by the reckless driving that texting, eating, and other distractions cause. Distracted drivers are more likely to speed, need to stop abruptly, make swift or sudden turns, and swerve. All those behaviors lead to more car accidents.

If you are involved in an accident with a distracted driver, you may want to bring a personal injury claim to cover injuries and other expenses resulting from the accident. The best way to assess your claim and amount of compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and other losses is to speak with an injury attorney in Florida. Through an initial consultation, a personal injury lawyer can begin to understand the circumstances of your claim and possible recovery. 

FREE CONSULTATION WITH A MIAMI AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY

To build a successful personal injury claim against a distracted driver, you need a dedicated and experienced personal injury attorney. Our Miami personal injury law firm, have an entire legal team focused on car accident injury claimsmotorcycle accidentstruck accidents, and other incidents involving distracted drivers. Contact our Miami office for a free consultation by calling toll-free at 1-866-597-4529, locally at 305-441-0440, reach us by email at [email protected] or on our LIVE chat on aronfeld.com to arrange a FREE confidential initial consultation at your home, office, hotel or hospital.

Related Resources:

https://www.clickorlando.com/getting-results-/driving-change/distracted-driving-bills-take-next-steps-in-florida-legislature