TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Texting and driving is no longer legal in Florida. Florida becomes the 41st state to ban texting while driving. The new law took effect at midnight. Distracted drivers are becoming one of the greatest threats on our roads today. More than 3,400 crashes occurred last year in Florida in which the driver was distracted by an “electronic device,” such as a cell phone, which resulted in 24 fatalities. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimates that a driver who texts and drives is 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash. The problem is of particular concern among teenage drivers. Eleven teens are killed each day in the U.S. as the result of a crash in which texting and driving was to blame.
For more information, access the FLHSMV website http://www.flhsmv.gov/fhp/DistractedDriving/
Download materials on distracted Driving: Distracted Driving Crashes by county FHP Press Release Don’t Txt and Drv Graphic Put It Down Graphic Distracted Driving Flyer Florida Statute 316.305