Florida doesn’t have a single law on the books that says that drivers cannot drive and text message at the same time. Deputies in Collier County have found a way around it though. They’re citing drivers near Pine Ridge Road for failing to pay attention at the wheel, according to NBC2.
This enhanced enforcement comes at a good time, too, considering it’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month 2012! Every April, the National Safety Council celebrates this campaign in hopes of raising awareness in drivers about the dangers, risks and consequences associated with distracted driving and to help to reduce the risks of needless car accidents in Naples and elsewhere.
“Are they texting and driving? Are they doing something that will take their attention from the road? If it impacts their driving, we’ll give them a citation for careless driving,” a sheriff’s spokesperson said.
Our Naples car accident lawyers understand that texting while driving is not illegal in the state of Florida. In fact, Florida is one of the few states that has yet to enact such law. Still, officers in Collier County say that they’ve found a way to hold distracted drivers accountable — careless driving citations. Deputies target this driving behavior because we’re seeing all too many accidents in the area because of texting drivers. Recent studies have concluded that texting behind the wheel increases a driver’s risks for an accident by nearly 25 times.
And that’s exactly what texting and driving is. It’s careless driving. It’s throwing risks, dangers and consideration out the window and riding along with increased risks for accidents.
With the increased efforts in Collier County comes National Distracted Driving Awareness Month 2012. During this year’s month-long event, safe driving advocates with the National Safety Council (NSC) are urging drivers across the county to take the pledge to drive distraction free! We’re urging drivers to take the pledge and were urging them to pledge for longer than just a month. Distraction-free driving should be a lifetime commitment.
Take The Pledge!
-Pledge to keep the phones and the electronic devices out of the driver’s seat.
-Pledge to speak up if you’re riding with a driver who is engaging in distracting activities behind the wheel.
-Pledge to talk with your family and your friends about the risks and dangers that are associated with distracted driving.
The NSC estimates that there were more than 3,000 people who were killed in distraction-related car accidents in the U.S. in 2010. That means that about one out of every four accidents involved a distracted driver. And those were only the ones that officers knew about. Experts believe these numbers to be much higher.
Do your part to help make our roadways safer for everyone and take the pledge!
If you or someone in your family has been injured or killed in a car accident in Bonita Springs, Naples, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Sebring or in any of the surrounding areas, contact Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, for a knowledgeable explanation regarding your case. Experienced injury lawyers are available for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your case in detail. Call 1-800-283-2900.
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March 3, 2012