Bills address texting, driving
Bills filed in Legislature crack down on texting while driving
Neither focuses on the hazard of texting while at a red light.
A new survey shows that 57 percent of Florida drivers are self-absorbed goofballs.
It was based on a highly unscientific study of hundreds of motorists and conducted by a nonreputable polling firm – namely, me.
But I swear it’s accurate, and you’ll swear something has to be done about it. In fact, if you’ve been victimized by these people you’ve probably already sworn quite a bit.
We’re talking about our fellow motorists who use their smartphones at red lights. I’m sure most of them are decent, law-abiding citizens. But that’s part of the problem.
Texting while driving is (semi) illegal in Florida. Texting at red lights is not.
For some inexplicable reason, that wouldn’t change under two proposed laws that would crack down on texting.
You could still whip out your iPhone and respond to text messages, check your email, say hello to Facebook friends, play Fortnite, order a new Cuisinart from Amazon and become totally oblivious to your surroundings.
And it would be A-OK as long as you don’t become a traffic hazard. Which anyone who’s ever been stuck behind Mr. or Ms. Red Light Texter can tell you only happens all the time. You know the drill. The light turns green. A car ahead of you doesn’t move.
You inch forward. The texter still doesn’t budge.
You debate whether to honk your horn. You wait a second because maybe, just maybe, the driver is having a baby or a heart attack or grand mal seizure and you don’t want to seem like a hair-triggered jerk.
An eternity of two or three seconds passes. Still no movement.
You reach for the horn, and at that split second the texter snaps out of their digital trance and hits the gas. You make it through before the light turns red, but pity the poor sucker three or four cars back.
Meanwhile, Mr. or Ms. Texter is blissfully on their way to the next red light, where there will be a fresh batch of people to infuriate.
Am I wrong, or is the preceding scenario happening more often as our ADD society becomes further addicted to social media?
I couldn’t find any real studies to confirm that, but there are tons of them verifying the danger of texting while driving.
It’s against the law in 47 states, including Florida. Though we make it a “second offense,” meaning police first must stop drivers for another offense, like speeding or running a light, in order to write a ticket for texting.
As long as nothing’s wrong with their car, drivers can zoom down the interstate texting to
their heart’s content. And there’s nothing police can do about it.
Two bills have been filed in the Florida Legislature that would make texting a “primary” offense. Any sentient human should be all for that.
I endorsed the bills even before a distracted driver rear-ended my wife’s car. The humans were fine, but her car sustained $5,000 worth of damage.
“I-4 and texting are great for business,” the guy at the body shop told me.
We’re spending $2.3 billion to improve I-4. Making texting a primary offense would be a lot cheaper and save far more lives.
It would save a lot of infuriation if Florida legislators changed the definition of “vehicle operator.”
Statutes ramble on about sending and receiving character-based messages, Internet connections and other communications while operating a motor vehicle. But “a motor vehicle that stationary is not being operated and is not subject to the prohibition….”
Whoever wrote that obviously hasn’t been stuck behind Mr. or Ms. Red Light Texter.
The bills filed in the Florida Legislature need to be amended to include sitting idle under the definition of “vehicle operator.”
The state’s DUI laws do. The car doesn’t even have to running for the person behind the wheel to be arrested.
Texting at red lights isn’t nearly as lethal as drunk driving or texting while driving 70 mph. But texters start, stop, drift and increase the likelihood someone behind them will try to beat the light.
They also make other motorists want to commit homicide.
I don’t advocate mass extermination, but a crackdown is called for. Being a “vehicle operator” and “smartphone operator” do not mix, even if the car is standing still.
David Whitley is a member of our Community Conversations Team. He can be reached at dwhitley@orlandosentinel.com