In October of 2019, you probably heard all about the latest traffic rule in Florida. This new law forbids drivers from being able to drive while holding a wireless communication device in their hands through active school zones, school crossings, and work areas. For the last three months of 2019, police gave drivers educational warnings, in the form of a tear-off reminder, which detailed the new law and the related penalties to come.
However, upon the arrival of January 2020, police began to hand out tickets for this infraction, instead. The fee for this includes a base fine of $60 along with three points added to the driver’s license.
While this law has been in effect for a little over a month, there are some who still aren’t aware of it, why it was needed, or what they need to do to avoid receiving a ticket.
The Problem of Distracted Driving in Florida
According to one study, there is only one state that has more issues with distracted driving than Florida, that’s Louisiana. The data from this study showed that up to 92 percent of drivers around the country that have cell phones have actually used them while in a moving vehicle. Each state was evaluated on the same criteria, which is what resulted in the conclusion that Florida is home to some of the worst most distracted drivers in this country.
This revelation, along with the high number of distracted driving accidents on the roadways, is what spurred the creation of this new regulation.
Many people who support this new law are individuals who have seen the devastating results of car accidents that are caused by cases of distracted driving. The hope of legislators and law enforcement is that the potential penalties you may face will increase the awareness of this epidemic and motivate drivers to remain hands-free at all times while behind the wheel.
The Impact of the New Regulations
During the last three months of 2018, Highway Patrol in Florida gave out more than 800 of these warnings to Florida drivers. Three months before these began to be issued (in July of 2019), the state changed their texting and driving penalties to a primary offense, which allowed police officers to pull a driver over if they were seen texting and driving. Since that time, Highway Patrol has given out more than 1,100 tickets to drivers for this offence.
Since Florida one of the pure comparative negligence states, the new law is especially good news for those who are plaintiffs in a personal injury case. What this means is that the amount of compensation a plaintiff is able to recover is dependent on the level of fault each person involves holds. With the stricter laws related to distracted driving, it means there are increased protections for those who are wrongfully injured.
Hire an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney for Help with Your Case
If you have been in an accident that was caused by a distracted driver, you have rights. Even more so than before, it is possible for you to recover the damages you suffered due to the accident. The best way to ensure you have the highest likelihood of a successful case is to contact Felice Trial Attorneys Law by calling (561) 444-8822. Our team has years of experience with these cases and can help you.
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