All eyes are once again on texting and driving as the latest Florida bill attempt makes it way through all of the required hurdles. The bill recently received another boost after the Florida Police Chiefs Association gave its endorsement to the bill, which would allow a law enforcement officer to pull a driver if they are caught texting and driving without using a hands-free device.
Dubbed HB 107, texting while driving would be “upgraded” from its current status as a secondary offense to a primary once should a driver attempt to use their cell phone in front of a police officer. In its current form as a secondary offense, an officer may only cite the driver for texting while driving if they are pulled over for another reason such as speeding. Officers have also faced the scenario where a driver will state they were not texting and the officer cannot take their phone to verify whether the driver was telling the truth without a warrant.
Last year, a similar bill made its way through the legislative session, successfully passing the State House. The bill ultimately “died” when the Florida Senate failed to approve it.
To read more about the bill visit https://www.plantcityobserver.com/ban-for-texting-and-driving-on-legislative-floor/.
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