Distracted Driving in Florida: Why It is a Bad Idea

In Florida, there are around 400,000 car accidents each year, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Most of these accidents are due to error(s) on the driver's part, which means many of these unfortunate wrecks can be prevented. One of the best things you can do as a Florida driver is to ensure your attention is on the road so you can avoid distractions that could be dangerous or even fatal.

What Is Distracted Driving?

According to the Florida Department of Transportation, distracted driving is anything that will direct the driver's attention from properly operating their vehicle. There are three categories of distracted driving:

• manual, which is anything that causes a driver to take their hands off the wheel;
• visual, which is anything that prompts the driver to take their eyes off the road;
• cognitive, which is anything that will prompt the driver to take their concentration off of driving.

It is important to note that distracted driving is legal even though it is unsafe. For instance, if a driver is applying makeup in the rearview mirror, adjusting the air conditioner or heater, or engaging in discussion with passengers, this can affect the way the driver operates the vehicle.

Florida lawmakers are currently focusing on preventing accidents caused by distracted driving, particularly accidents that occur because the driver was texting behind the wheel.

What Do the Statistics Say?

Florida is among the states with the worst distracted driving. Even if New Mexico, New Jersey, Kentucky or Washington come first, Florida’s distracted driving is an issue concerning the authorities and citizens alike.

Almost 50,000 crashes occur in the state annually because of distracted driving, which equals 137 distracted driving accidents every day. Unfortunately, over 200 people die each year in Florida because of distracted driving.

Florida does have distracted driving laws to help reduce the number of accidents and fatalities in the state. The state prohibits sending, reading, or composing a text while driving, and handheld cell phones are not permitted in active school zones. However, drivers are allowed to send and receive texts if the vehicle is not moving. This means you can text at red lights or if you're stopped in traffic.

Exceptions to Florida's Texting Laws

Texting laws in Florida don't apply to individuals operating authorized emergency vehicles such as EMTs, firemen, and police officers while performing their jobs. For example, drivers who use their phones to report suspicious, criminal, or emergency activity to the police are exempt from Florida texting laws. In addition, drivers receiving texts pertaining to their vehicles' navigation or operation or safety information regarding their vehicles or the road conditions, such as weather, traffic, or emergency alerts, are exempt from texting laws.

Drivers can use the hands-free texting feature on their phones or their GPS systems while driving as well.

Eating While Driving In Florida

While consuming food while you're on the wheel is legal, this is not always safe. The act of eating while driving is a form of distracted driving since it can take your vision and attention from the road. If a Florida police officer stops you from eating while you're on the road, you likely won't face any legal action. There is no specific law that prohibits this, but consuming food while you're driving could prevent you from focusing all your attention on safely operating your vehicle.

If you get into an accident in the Orlando area, contact an Orlando car accident attorney to help you with your case. Your attorney can explain your rights as the victim of a car accident and let you know which steps are necessary to file your lawsuit so you can get the settlement you deserve.

Bottom Line

No matter where you get into a car accident, hiring an attorney from that state (Florida or otherwise) is crucial. Since the law varies from state to state, it is important to get a legal team to know its laws inside and out. In addition, if the accident also led to personal injuries, a specialized legal team is what you need by your side.