Distracted Driving FL

Distracted driving is not only teens but it is adults as well. In the state of Florida there is no ban or law keeping anyone from texting and driving. They tried before for a bill with texting and driving and if convicted they would face up to $250 or to 30 days in jail. This bill did not last very long and today texting and driving has caused more wrecks. While driving, adults and teenagers cannot resist the urge to pick up their cell phone and send a text or respond to one, and as soon as the driver’s eyes meet their cellular device, their focus on the road is drawn away. There should be a law for this because more and more innocent people are losing their lives over someone whom is texting and driving. If we had this law it would help our rates come down and Florida would have safer roads. Of course some opponents feel that creating a law against cell phone use infringes their personal rights. Others think that banning someone from using their cell phones is equivalent to telling someone that they can't adjust their radio or chat with someone else in their car. Which is all reasonable statements but their missing the fact that this is killing the lives of innocent people and must be stopped for the stake of the citizens in Florida. Obviously Florida does need some type of law to be passed for distracted driving from the statistics of having 995 wrecks in 2009. Ten percent of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted. Leading to this has been from more and more teen drivers texting and driving of which needs to be fixed. Some thirty-six percent of teens say they have been involved in a crash or near-crash because of someone else's or their own distracted driving. This is saying that teens do realize that there is distracted driving but sometimes it doesn't affect them. The effect of texting and driving is involved with distracted driving and most of the incidents reported from that thirty-six percent are engaging in visual-manual subtasks. Such as, reaching for a phone, dialing and texting, associated with the use of hand-held phones and other portable devices increased the risk of getting into a crash by three times. On the other hand, as well as a eighty-five percent with saying that texting while driving is a problem but a habit. That habit is hard to break because those involved feel that if they have not been in a wreck yet then it will not happen. Others know about the risks of texting and talking while driving, but still choose to do so anyway. They make the mistake of thinking the statistics don't apply to them, that they can defy the odds. Still others simply lead busy, stressful lives and use cell phones and smartphones to stay connected with their families, friends, and workplaces. They forget or choose not to shut these devices off when they get behind the wheel. But back to that number of 995 wrecks is showing that those that feel that way have been proven wrong. Texting is the most alarming distraction because it involves manual, visual, and cognitive distraction simultaneously. In the County of Broward FL a council member, Louis Neiger lost his son to a driver whom was on the phone. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds which during that time had an impact on his son. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field, blindfolded. It's extraordinarily dangerous. Since Florida does not have a law stating that it is not illegal Neiger took it to his council and suggested that this issue be presented as a bill for the county. This actually brought Broward Country to enforce the bill against texting and driving (distracted driving). He also presented that there is no point system for licenses for distracted driving but only for reckless driving. For reckless driving you can lose up to 6 points and Neiger made it pretty clear that it is the same as distracted driving. His case is a perfect example of how people are trying to change the system of things that affect the daily lives of others. Florida is also in the top twenty percent of injury crashes in 2009 involving distracted driving. (2009 NHTSA) Since then FL has been number 2 of the whole U.S. for bad driving. These statistics are proving that there is an issue and there is a needed solution or consequence. Texting and driving has become more popular with all of the new technology coming of the day but there is a solution but it is not being presented in the state of Florida.