What is the law in Florida for texting and driving?
What is the law in Florida for texting and driving?
Ron DeSantis signed a new law in 2019 making texting while driving a primary traffic offense in Florida, with a $30 fine for a first offense that routinely climbs to over $100. It turned out that deputies in Broward, where nearly 2 million people live, ticketed only 18 drivers for texting.
How long does it take to crash while texting and driving?
Individuals who drive while sending or reading text messages are 23 times more likely to be involved in a car crash than other drivers. A crash typically happens within an average of three seconds after a driver is distracted.
How long does it take to read a text while driving?
Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.
Is it legal to text at a red light in Florida?
You can legally text when you are waiting at a red light. Drivers of emergency vehicles or drivers reporting a crime are exempt from the new law.
How is Florida dealing with distracted driving?
Motorists can be stopped and cited for texting and driving. The second part of the law, section 316.306, Florida Statutes, went into effect on October 1, 2019, in which a motorist can be pulled over and issued a warning for using wireless communications devices in a handheld manner in school and work zones.
How many deaths a year from texting and driving?
Texting and driving deaths per year About 400 fatal crashes happen each year as a direct result of texting and driving. That number increases to over 30,000 when you consider distracted driving as a whole, according to the NHTSA.
What are the chances of getting in a car accident while texting?
General Cell Phone Statistics 1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving. Texting while driving is 6x more likely to cause an accident than driving drunk. Answering a text takes away your attention for about five seconds.
How far does a vehicle travel when sending a text?
5 seconds
“Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field, blindfolded.” An entire football field. Picture the length of a football field, then think about all that could happen on a road in the distance between the two end zones.
How long do people look at their phones while driving?
When you look at your phone to read or send a text while driving, you take your eyes off the road for an average of nearly five seconds. While that may seem like the blink of an eye, it’s equivalent to travelling the length of a football field with your eyes closed if you’re driving at 55 MPH.
How does texting while driving affect your reaction time?
Texting while has the same effect on your driving reaction time as if you had consumed four beers in a single hour (Drivesafeonline.org) Texting distracts you long enough to travel the length of an entire football with your eyes off the road, driving at 55 mph (Drivesafeonline.org)
Is talking on your cell phone while driving illegal in Florida?
Talking on a cell phone is not illegal in Florida but it does distract you from driving and is a cause of thousands of car accidents a year in Florida. In 2017 there were over 3,700 accidents attributed to drivers distracted by cell phone conversations. Talking on Your Cell Phone Reduces Your Reaction Time by 40%
How many car accidents are caused by texting and driving?
In 2017 there were over 3,700 accidents attributed to drivers distracted by cell phone conversations. the National Institute of Health did a study with drivers age 21 to 26 using an advanced driving simulator.
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) says that it takes about five seconds to read a text. During that time, you drive about the length of a football field at around 55mph, which is 360 feet – quite a long way to have your eyes off the road.
