Unlikely allies converge on Jax City Council against ‘texting while driving’

No more excuses; it’s time to stop texting and driving.

Jacksonville City Council President Anna Brosche doesn’t line up with Councilmen John Crescimbeni and Tommy Hazouri on many issues. Evidence of that was provided this week, with Brosche rejecting their call for a public workshop on dredging the St. Johns River.

While they may not see eye to eye on one of the biggest environmental and economic issues facing Jacksonville, the trio converged to introduce a resolution of support on a different matter — state legislation establishing “texting while driving” as a primary offense.

The resolution — a simple concept, one that someone would likely vote against only on a bet or in a fit of civil libertarianism — sprawls over three pages.

It defines “distracted driving” and establishes “texting while driving” as a subcategory, and includes facts like “texting while driving makes the likelihood of a crash 23 times more likely” than not texting while driving.

Florida is the second-worst state for distracted driving, the resolution adds. And Florida is one of just four states that don’t treat this as a primary offense.

Councilman Hazouri referred to this as an “accidental” co-introduction.

“At least Anna didn’t call for a public hearing on this important resolution,” Hazouri quipped.