The Many Types of Technology that can Cause Distracted Driving

Since the advent of cellular phones, GPS navigation systems, and other portable electronic devices, automobile accidents resulting from distracted driving have been on the rise. Florida, unfortunately, is no exception, according to statistics provided by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.1

When people think of distracted driving that involves the use of modern technology, they usually think of texting or making phone calls while driving (i.e. without the use of a hands-free cellular device, such as a Bluetooth system). However, other common types of technology-related distracted driving exist, including using or programming a GPS system while driving or playing or listening to loud music while driving.

If you or someone you love sustained injuries in a motor vehicle accident that resulted from the carelessness or negligence of a distracted driver, our experienced Clearwater distracted driver motor vehicle accident lawyers are ready to help you obtain the monetary compensation you need and deserve.

Our experienced attorneys can assist you with proving your case, negotiating with the insurance company, reaching a fair and equitable settlement of your case, and/or resolving your case via alternative dispute resolution (such as mediation or arbitration), or at trial.

Types of Distracted Driving Prohibited by Florida Law

Using a non-hands-free cellular phone or another electronic device for texting or making phone calls while driving is illegal in the State of Florida. Florida's recently enacted law which prohibits texting while driving, subject to some limited exceptions, reads as follows:

A person may not operate a motor vehicle while manually typing or entering multiple letters, numbers, symbols, or other characters into a wireless communications device or while sending or reading data on such a device for the purpose of nonvoice interpersonal communication, including, but not limited to, communication methods known as texting, e-mailing, and instant messaging.

The Florida statute2 defines the term “wireless communications device” as follows:

any handheld device used or capable of being used in a handheld manner, that is designed or intended to receive or transmit text or character-based messages, access or store data, or connect to the Internet or any communications service as defined in s. 812.15 and that allows text communications. For the purposes of this paragraph, a motor vehicle that is stationary is not being operated and is not subject to the prohibition in this paragraph.

As such, the Florida legislature has made it abundantly clear that, absent some limited circumstances set forth in the statute, texting while driving is improper. Some other examples of distracted driving which involve the use of modern technology include the following: