Janelle Irwin Taylor
Beginning Monday texting while driving will get Florida motorists pulled over.
State Rep. Jackie Toledo was on hand Monday morning at the Tampa Police Department headquarters in downtown to address the new law, which she co-sponsored.
“We’ve all done it,” Toledo said. “But this year we fought hard this Legislative Session to make sure that we change this behavior.”
Under the new law, law enforcement officers who observe a motorist texting while driving can pull them over and write a ticket for the offense. Tickets for a first offense are non-moving violations that carry a $30 fine.
That ticket does not place points against a person’s driving record. Subsequent offenses within a five-year period carry a $60 fine and drivers will incur three points on their license.
“We are going to start with warnings,” said Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan. “But there might be some instances where we issue a citation – depending on the circumstances.”
The texting while driving ban applies only to texting. Holding a phone to talk or using a phone’s GPS is not illegal.
However another provision not taking effect until October 1 bans any cell phone use at all in a school or active work zone. That part of the law will be enforced on a probationary basis until January 1, meaning only warnings will be given until next year.
“I’m a mother of five and it pains me. I am so worried about our children on our roads everyday especially in these very vulnerable areas,” Toledo said.
There were more than 3,000 traffic fatalities in Florida last year, Toledo said. She hopes the new law will keep drivers and others who use the roads safer.
“If an officer can reasonably, with a degree of certainty, tell that someone is texting while they’re driving, they are going to be pulled over and, at a minimum, given a warning. People need to be more disciplined,” Dugan said.
“These vehicles, when you look at the weight that they carry, it’s like a loaded gun. And if we’re not careful and we’re not paying attention to what we’re doing, then you’re going to end up killing somebody.”
The Hillsborough County School Board is also celebrating the new law. The school district is the third largest in the state.
School Board Chair Tamara Shamburger said the law will protect the 90,000 students who ride the bus as well as those who walk, ride a bike or get a ride to school in a car. She said it also helps new drivers be safe drivers.
“When you develop the right driving skills and the right driving habits from the very beginning, it will serve you for a very long time,” Shamburger said.
One comment
Larry Gillis, Executive Committee, Libertarian Party of Florida
July 1, 2019 at 2:13 pm
This law was unnecessary. The act of texting-while-driving is already well covered by “Reckless Operation” and “Reckless Conduct” under present law. Gutless prosecutors wanted to make it even easier than it already is to prosecute these cases.
And, if you look at the school-zone legislation mentioned in this article, it is wildly over-inclusive, banning all cell-phone use in school zones. (Think about that one).
Proliferation of laws is to be avoided, especially when it is accomplished through “feel-good” legislation. It also feeds the “THERE OUTTA BE A LAW” mentality, of which we already have too much.
Larry Gillis (Cape Coral)
Comments are closed.