[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/the-dangers-of-texting-and-driving-in-florida\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/the-dangers-of-texting-and-driving-in-florida\/","headline":"The Dangers of Texting and Driving in Florida","name":"The Dangers of Texting and Driving in Florida","description":"When you hear the familiar \u201cping\u201d of a text notification, it\u2019s tempting to check it out and send off a quick reply. After all, it only takes a few seconds. A few seconds can lead to disaster on the road, however. In five seconds, you can read or reply to a message. On the highway,...","datePublished":"2018-08-28","dateModified":"2025-01-06","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/author\/zimmet\/#Person","name":"Zimmet & Zimmet","url":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/author\/zimmet\/","identifier":8,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3010bdac5ced5112b2840e84f5233c0b7d763a33cb3d5b6de07a5a4b44884d69?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3010bdac5ced5112b2840e84f5233c0b7d763a33cb3d5b6de07a5a4b44884d69?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Zimmet & Zimmet","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/footer-logo-blue.svg","url":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/footer-logo-blue.svg","width":0,"height":0}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/The-Dangers-of-Texting-and-Driving-in-Florida-2.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/The-Dangers-of-Texting-and-Driving-in-Florida-2.jpg","height":493,"width":740},"url":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/the-dangers-of-texting-and-driving-in-florida\/","about":["Car Accidents"],"wordCount":530,"articleBody":"When you hear the familiar \u201cping\u201d of a text notification, it\u2019s tempting to check it out and send off a quick reply. After all, it only takes a few seconds. A few seconds can lead to disaster on the road, however. In five seconds, you can read or reply to a message. On the highway, you can cross the entire length of a football field in five seconds, which is plenty of time to cause an accident or cross into oncoming traffic.Is Texting While Driving Illegal in Florida?Texting while behind the wheel is illegal in Florida, but it is a\u00a0secondary offense.\u00a0This means that police officers cannot pull someone over just because they\u2019re texting while driving. Drivers can only receive a ticket for texting and driving if officers first see another offense, such as speeding or improperly changing lanes. Only three other states currently list texting and driving as a secondary offense. Every other state has made it a primary offense. There have been several legislative efforts to make texting on the road a primary offense, which would allow police officers to pull over drivers after observing them text messaging. To date, none have been successful with the state legislature.The Risks of Texting While DrivingTexting is often considered\u00a0one of the most dangerous driving distractions. Presently, Florida rates second in distracted driving. Only Louisiana has more distracted drivers.Beyond being illegal, texting and driving puts drivers and others on the roadways at serious risk. Distracted driving leads to speeding, aggressive and sudden turns, hard braking, and sudden acceleration. While other distractions can keep drivers\u2019 eyes, hands, and\/or mind engaged, texting captures drivers\u2019 attention on all three fronts.Texting behind the wheel can increase your risk of causing an accident. It also boosts your likelihood of being involved in a near-miss.Accidents Caused by Texting and DrivingThere\u2019s no doubt that texting is a serious factor in vehicular accidents. In Florida, deaths caused by distracted driving\u00a0have jumped 25% since 2013. In 2017, there were over 200 distracted driving deaths in Florida.The fallout of a\u00a0texting and driving accident\u00a0can last years. As the victim of a crash, you could suffer from serious injuries and endure lost wages, as well as be left with expensive vehicle repair bills. Although 97% of Americans know that\u00a0texting and driving is dangerous, one in three drivers between the ages of 18 and 64 still reads and writes messages while driving.Get Help Immediately If You\u2019re Involved in an AccidentWith\u00a0texting and driving\u00a0on the rise, you might find yourself involved in a distracted driving accident. Having the right representation is key, since a serious crash can have long-lasting physical, mental, and financial effects. If you or someone you love is the victim of a texting and driving accident,\u00a0contact Zimmet & Zimmet\u00a0at (386) 255-6400.For More InformationUnderstanding Negligence in a Personal Injury CaseThe Critical Importance of Car Seats and Booster SeatsHave you been injured in an accident or fall? Do You have question and want to know your legal options. Call 386-255-6400\u00a0for a free consultation and remember there is NO FEE unless WE Win."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Dangers of Texting and Driving in Florida","item":"https:\/\/www.zimmetzimmet.com\/blog\/the-dangers-of-texting-and-driving-in-florida\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]