Texting and driving is now illegal in Florida.
As of January 1st of 2020, texting and driving has been deemed illegal in Florida after years of accidents from distracted driving.
This law isn’t limited to just text messages. It also includes anything that involves typing on a mobile device while you are driving. Things like emails, social media, notes, and Google searching are all included.
Texting and driving is a form of distracted driving.
Distracted driving can be divided into three categories: manual, visual, and cognitive.
- Visual distracted driving is anything that takes your EYES off the road. So something like texting and driving will definitely take your eyes off the road.
- Manual distracted driving is something that takes your hands off the wheel. When you text and drive, one hand is focused on texting and the other is on driving, since one of the hands is doing something that’s not related to driving, texting and driving can even fall into manual distracted driving.
- Cognitive distracted driving is when you are thinking about anything other than the road. This doesn’t mean that you have to constantly think about the road and be zoned in, but it does mean that anything that takes your mind directly off the road is considered a cognitive distraction. For example, when you text and drive, you have to think of what you are going to text and take your mind off the road for a few seconds. Even if it’s just 10 seconds, imagine driving 10 seconds with your eyes closed. Although you THINK that you can text and drive because you are looking at the road with your peripheral vision, it is not actually the case. You are still distracted.
Texting and driving can fall into all three categories of distracted driving, which makes it especially dangerous.
Can I Go To Jail for Distracted Driving?
Although there are no severe punishments for distracted driving such as arrest or serving time, if you cause an accident because you were found to have been texting and driving and the other person is severely injured, it is possible to serve time.
For being caught texting and driving, there is a first-time offender fine of $30. The second time you are caught texting and driving, the fee goes up to $60 and you are also fined 3 points on your driver’s license.
According to some experienced authorities, the punishments are not enough and are deemed as too lenient, while some think that it is too much of a fine for just texting and driving.
Consequences of Distracted Driving
Distracted driving can be deadly and should never be done.
Even if there is an emergency, the best practice is to pull over to a safe section of the road or into an isolated area and take care of business there. We all have times when there is a family emergency and suddenly your mind is not on the road. That is understandable. However, texting and driving is unnecessary and sending that funny meme to your friend can wait until you get home.
Of all the accidents that happen on the road, the ones that happen to have the worst consequences and happen the most often are ones from distracted driving.
Contacting a Personal Injury Lawyer After a Car Accident
If you or a loved one was a victim or involved in a car accident where the other driver was distracted while driving, then you might be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries. But why should you contact a personal injury lawyer?
After a serious car accident in Miami, your injuries can cause huge losses both financially and psychologically. Ranging from medical bills to pain and suffering, the losses can be huge and take away a lot of your ability to function on a day to day basis.
A personal injury lawyer from Accident Lawyers MIA can help you by representing you and guiding you to getting your money back for the accident. You shouldn’t have to pay for the injuries that were caused by someone else’s negligence.
With decades of experience and hundreds of cases won, our lawyers can guide you starting with a FREE consultation. From there, we will gather details, medical records, photos, and more to know what we are dealing with and to build a strong case for you.
