There are so many ways that we, as Floridians, can cut down on car accidents that involve texting drivers. The most obvious way is also the simplest: just put the phone down. The temptation to answer a text or punch an address into your GPS while you're driving may be great; but no accident or injury is worth it.
There are other ways to deal with the issue, if the allure of the cell phone is too much. Some phone apps can lock your phone down while driving, silencing the device while also sending automated texts to friends who try to contact you. If you don't want to miss anything, though, and still want to remain connected to your world, there are hands-free systems that allow you to talk or text on your phone without pulling your focus from the road.
In the absence of a texting while driving ban here in Florida, these solutions are of particular importance.
Even without a specific law addressing texting while driving, there are still ways that victims of car accidents that involve a texting driver can seek justice. Local officials can use reckless or distracted driving mandates to punish those who decide that texting while driving is a good idea. So even though texting while driving is "allowed" in Florida, it really isn't.
Still, it would be nice to have a rule on the books that directly addresses this clearly dangerous activity. Having a texting while driving ban would not only allow officers to seek out and punish those who partake in the irresponsible act, it would also send a message to drivers across the state that texting while driving is not acceptable. That message could be more powerful than any ticket.
Source: NPR, "Distracted Driving: We're All Guilty, So What Should We Do About It?," Sonari Glinton, Nov. 11, 2012
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