Driving and Texting
You are driving down the road when all of a sudden you hear an alert from your phone. It might be a call from your significant other telling you what they want to eat for dinner. It could also be your best friend posting a silly meme on Facebook. Your mind takes a more serious turn, and you think that the notification could be from work and involve an important problem. It could also be a family member who is in trouble.
It is always very important to keep the phone out of your hand and your eyes and mind on the road. Texting and driving is a leading cause of accidents in the United States, and municipalities are cracking down all over the country. If you cause an accident while texting, you could face criminal charges.
There are good reasons that the law is so strict on people who drive while texting. It essentially takes your mind and eyes off the road and distracts you from the task at hand.
You Have a Duty of Care
Whenever a person gets a driver’s license, they take on a lot of responsibility. They have a duty of care to look out for other drivers. If they ignore that duty of care by texting as they drive, their poor decision could endanger others.
A Person’s Reaction Time Will Be Slower
If you are texting and you look up at the road to see another car has suddenly stopped or slowed down, it’s unlikely you will be able to stop in time. A person’s reaction time will typically be 37% slower than normal when they are texting. A driver will lose about 5 seconds of reaction time when they text, and that can be critical to avoiding an accident.
Florida occasionally has rainy weather, and the roads can get slippery. Reaction time is critical to avoiding an accident in wet conditions.
Young People and New Drivers are Especially at Risk
Teenagers who text while driving can drift in and out of the lanes when they drive, and do not have enough experience to multi-task while driving. Adults who are new to driving may have the same problem.
You Might Get a Ticket
In addition to being physically dangerous, driving and texting can be dangerous to your wallet. Most states have laws against texting and driving that come with fines. Using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle has been Illegal in Florida since 2013. If you are caught texting or calling while driving, you may face fines and points on your license.
You Might Hit A Pedestrian
Pedestrians, animals, and bicyclists are harder to see than vehicles, and it can be hard to avoid a collision even if you are not texting. A slower reaction time will only make the situation worse.
Any car accident attorney can tell you that driving and texting is a bad idea. Insurance companies may try to deny your claim if you were driving and texting when you got into an accident.
