Do You Know the Do’s and Don’ts of Using Your Mobile Device in the Car?

In early October of last year, texting and driving became prohibited in Florida.

Florida is now among 41 states to ban texting-while-driving, but one of only four states that has labeled the act a secondary offense, according to the Governor’s Highway Association.

Most Floridians aren’t clear on what this “ban” on texting while driving means to them.

• Can you make phone calls while driving?
• Can you look at your phone and/or text while at a stop light?
• Can you be pulled over for using your mobile device or phone in the car?

According to a Recent Palm Beach Post Article:

• Generally speaking, you can’t be pulled over simply for texting, you must be stopped for another traffic offense — texting is what’s called a secondary infraction, and you can’t be stopped simply for texting alone.
• You can’t type and drive, but it is legal to type a message or review other information on your phone while at a stop light or in a traffic jam while your vehicle is stopped.
• It is still legal to make phone calls on the road (in Florida).
• You can still use Google Maps and listen to iTunes…exemptions in the law allow motorists to use phones to check maps, issue voice commands or listen to music or other online programming.

Why You Should Limit Mobile Device Usage When Driving Anyway

In Florida from 2010 through 2011, at least 85 crashes caused by distracted drivers turned fatal, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute in 2009 found that texting drivers are 23 times more likely to crash than someone simply driving. Of all the things a driver can do with a phone, texting takes the driver’s eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds in a 6-second interval.

Were You in an Accident Because Someone Was Texting While Driving?

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Contact Boca Raton personal injury lawyer Kerri Smith. Since 1999, Kerri has focused her law practice on the representation of individuals and families who have been injured by the negligence of others.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only and is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship. Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice for any individual case or situation.