Top 10 Things Drivers Need to Know About Florida’s Texting and Driving Laws
Understanding FL law is key to avoiding tickets and, more importantly, reducing your risk of being involved in an accident. If you’ve been injured by a texting driver, speak with a knowledgeable Port St. Lucie Personal Injury Lawyer to explore your legal options.
While every case is unique, below are 10 things every Florida driver should know.
- Texting While Driving Is Illegal
Let’s start with the biggest one. Florida law prohibits drivers from manually typing or entering multiple characters into a wireless device to send a text message, email, or other communication while operating a motor vehicle.
- Police Can Pull You Over for Texting
Some drivers assume an officer has to witness another traffic violation before stopping them for texting. That’s no longer true. Florida’s texting law allows law enforcement officers to stop a driver if they observe a texting violation.
- You Can Use Hands-Free Features
Believing you can’t touch your phone at all while driving is common, but in reality Florida law allows drivers to use hands-free technology, voice commands, GPS navigation, and certain other phone functions. That said, they need to be used lawfully and safely. Minimizing distractions is always the safest choice.
- School and Work Zones Have Stricter Rules
Florida places additional restrictions on handheld wireless device use in designated school crossings, school zones, and active work zones. Drivers should put their phones away completely in these areas when possible.
- Texting Isn’t the Only Distraction
Also, there are forms of distracted driving beyond texting. Eating, adjusting the radio, using social media, searching for music, or entering navigation information can all take a driver’s attention away from the road.
- A Ticket Isn’t Required for Liability
After an accident, people may assume the other driver must receive a citation before they can pursue an injury claim. But a driver may still be found negligent based on the available evidence, even if no citation was issued.
- Phone Records May Become Evidence
If distracted driving is suspected after a crash, phone records, witness testimony, surveillance footage, and other evidence may help determine whether a driver was using a phone at the time of the collision.
- Comparative Fault Can Affect Compensation
Florida follows a modified comparative negligence system. Should multiple parties share responsibility for a crash, compensation may be reduced based on each person’s percentage of fault.
- Texting Laws Apply to More Than Teen Drivers
It’s easy to think distracted driving is mostly a problem among younger drivers. But drivers of every age can become distracted by smartphones, navigation apps, and notifications.
- An Attorney Can Help Protect Your Rights
If you’ve been injured by someone you believe was distracted, don’t assume proving it will be easy. An experienced Port St. Lucie Personal Injury Lawyer can investigate the accident, preserve evidence, and work to establish how distracted driving contributed to the crash.
Has your life been complicated by a texting driver? After an accident in Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, Stuart, or Vero Beach, connect with the legal team at Leifer & Ramirez. Call 561-660-9421 to get a free case review.
