Texting-While-Driving Ban Approved By Florida Budget Committee

Florida's Budget Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved Bill 416, which makes texting-while-driving a secondary offense.

It's the first step towards a statewide ban that could go into effect on October 1 if passed on the Senate floor.

Republican Senator Joe Negron was the only member against the bill on Tuesday, but voted "nay" after official roll call.

Although 71 percent of Florida voters are in favor of a texting ban, many think Bill 416 will stall just like the House version, HB 299, which was filed in October 2011 but hasn't been schedule for any committee hearings.

Critics of such legislation are wary about government intrusion into personal lives. House Speaker Dean Cannon reacted to HB 299 with "I think a lot of our members have concerns about both the remedy and the structure of any bill that regulates individual behavior. I've got personal liberties concerns."

After Tuesday's overwhelming support, Republican Senator Nancy Detert, who sponsored Bill 416, told Herald-Tribune she was surprised by the staunch opposition to the House bill.

"I wish they would hear it. Then they would understand it's a secondary offense. It's strictly texting. I'm not trying to take the cell phone out of your cold dead hand. I'm just saying stop weaving into lane."

Comments

[ReadingJoe]

12:50 AM on 03/06/2012

Really?!? Why not pass another law against putting make up on while driving. Another for lighting a cigarette. Another for changing the CD. Another for being distracted while disciplining your children in the back seat. Another for eating and drinking soda while driving. Here is a novel idea... If you're distracted for ANY reason pull over. We do not need more laws for common sense. Most states have reckless driving or some other form of citation that can be used for those swerving and not paying attention. Btw, I am at a red light while I text this not endangering anyone.

[renk175]

09:17 AM on 02/24/2012

Good. It should be outlawed in all states.

[RedDonnaAnn]

02:31 PM on 02/23/2012

It's a terrible practice. I know, I've done it. One a regular phone it's not so hard but bump up to a Smartphone and it's like a manual skills test. Really dangerous. After that crash where the two buses rear ended a semi and it was revealed that the accident was caused by another driver texting, I stopped.

It's weird, a recent study showed that most passengers are very uncomfortable when the driver is texting but feel totally different when they are the driver doing the texting. Perception is everything I guess.

[jedonspring]

07:27 AM on 02/23/2012

GEE ! something intelligent is happening in Florida? What a concept.

We have some of the worst drivers I've ever driven next to. They all think they're the next NASCAR star.

[The Daily Craiger]

06:52 AM on 02/23/2012

Super. But how about enforcing turn signal use? Every time I see someone actually use one here, I want to write down their license plate number just so I can add them to my Christmas card list. But isn't texting just one of a thousand things that probably isn't a good idea to do while your driving? Is there a law on the books that prohibits piddling with the Blue Ray player so Dakota can watch Robots on the way to tantric soccer practice while adding a couple more packets of stevia to your caramel macchiato at a green left turn arrow?

[Rharte]

03:06 AM on 02/23/2012

At least this is one good news for Fla until some joker f**ks it all up with another negative headline in 3...2....

[Rharte]

02:59 AM on 02/23/2012

Between tourists and out of towners doing 30 while while gazing at the SatNav....and others doing 65 while on the phone, driving in Orlando can sometimes feel like playing Russian roulette....with 3 rounds in the revolver.

[MrGovtCheese]

11:34 PM on 02/22/2012

More government intrusion. Bet you're going to love those texting checkpoints where cops corral everyone into one lane and start checking cell phones.

[cmcclarty]

06:52 AM on 02/24/2012

People texting while driving and not watching the road and not staying with the flow of traffic are just as bad as drunk drivers. In some states you could be charged with DUI.

[MrGovtCheese]

12:36 PM on 02/24/2012

I agree it's bad but their are already laws against weaving and not staying with the flow of traffic. A couple days ago I was behind this guy who was clearly distracted, occasionally weaving, and not keeping up with the flow of traffic. I could see him looking down toward the center console or passenger seat, but I don't believe he was texting. I ended up having to go around him. Whatever he was doing was just as dangerous as texting.

[Gronkie]

11:17 PM on 02/22/2012

I moved to Florida from Ohio 10 years ago, and one of the many things I preferred about Florida was the fact that they didn't have overzealous cops sitting on the side of the road trolling for tickets the way they did in Ohio. 10 years later, the cops in Florida are every bit as bad as they were in Ohio. Anybody who thinks this ban is about making the roads safer is kidding themselves. Every time a cop pulls someone over he makes the road much more unsafe for everybody, and it should only be done when absolutely necessary. But it isn't really about safety, it's about revenue. When all the crime in Florida is under control, and all past crimes have been solved, I'll think about supporting cops harassing citizens from the side of the road. Until then, go do your jobs and leave the rest of us alone.

[Rharte]

02:40 AM on 02/23/2012

Or you could always head back to Ohio :)

[Wayne909]

02:43 AM on 02/23/2012

As a long-time Florida resident, I have zero respect for the Florida Highway Patrol. I always believed the FHP was nothing more than a revenue machine designed both to keep itself employed and to generate revenue for the state. This was pretty much confirmed when the FHP declded that it was insuffiicently trained to help police South Florida after Hurricane Andrew (and subsequently withdrew all troopers requiring police agencies throughout the state to send additional help) and then decided it was no longer "their job" to stop to assist stranded motorists. It appears the FHP's job is to sit on the side of the road, stop slow-end speeders (they do not pursue hgh-end because it takes too long), and meet ticket, i.e., revenue, quotas.

And no, I have never been stopped by the FHP and have no personal ax to grind. My complaint can be summarized by stating that the FHP is largely worthless.

[Gronkie]

09:37 AM on 02/23/2012

Thank you.

[surfinthecoochie]

05:16 PM on 02/23/2012

+1 I aggree 100%. They are the most corrupt, worse exuse for state troopers that exists in the country.

[CimmerianX]

10:03 PM on 02/22/2012

Does this means the cops can pull ANYONE over saying "I saw you texting". Does the bill give cops permission to search your phone? Would every cop know how to search every phone? If you show them your phone to prove you weren't, are you giving them permission to search your phone now for other activity?

In court, would it be cop's word against yours? Would you need records from phone company to prove otherwise? This wouldn't help in cases where you receive the text. The cop can say you were looking at the phone when you weren't. If you happen to have an incoming SMS just before that time, what could your defense be?

I'm all for making roads safer, but this will be prone to abuse.

[cmcclarty]

06:54 AM on 02/24/2012

Some pd are taking info from phones.

[dbrett480]

09:49 PM on 02/22/2012

A common sense bill in Florida? What will happen next?

[killarneytim]

08:54 PM on 02/22/2012

Yes and please add talking on the phone while driving. People were not made to talk on the phone and drive at the same time.

[jozie]

10:07 PM on 02/22/2012

Then I guess they shouldn't talk to their passengers, either.

[killarneytim]

11:08 PM on 02/22/2012

For some reason it is not the same.

[AZFan]

08:06 PM on 02/22/2012

Floridians do not want government intruding into their lives, I don't want people texting and driving to intrude into mine while I am driving. Pass the law, I live in Florida, and this is way over due.

[Epilef2000]

08:39 PM on 02/22/2012

When you driving on I-75 or I-4 and look to your right at 70 miles an hour, and you see somebody looking down at the telephone clearly texting, while the car is swerving...thats always get me nervous. I agree. Pass the law

[olehippie]

07:58 PM on 02/22/2012

Long overdue. Nobody's life is that important as to jeopardize someone else's because you wanted to share your story while you're driving of the cute waiter that served you lunch.

I live in Florida and it is out of control here.

[DoctorFred]

07:56 PM on 02/22/2012

As long as they are at it, they might as well ban listening to the radio and talking with passengers too. Music is very distracting and arguing with your spouse or sibling even worse.

[Gasparilla]

08:37 PM on 02/22/2012

Neither involves staring down at small screen while your foot is pressed to the pedal.

[Laura Mason]

02:38 AM on 02/23/2012

True, but both can be distracting enough to prevent a driver from focusing their attention on the road and the idiots around them. South Florida in particular has some extremely bad drivers -- too many tourists, extremely old people who refuse to give up driving, motorcycles speeding down the road on the line between lanes... A distracted driver is a distracted driver, regardless of whether its from texting, changing a radio station, or engaging in a screaming match with a passenger. The results can still be the same.