April is distracted driving awareness month in Florida and drivers are being urged to keep their eyes on the road and focus on driving in an effort to reduce distracted driving crashes

April is distracted driving awareness month in Florida and drivers are being urged to keep their eyes on the road and focus on driving in an effort to reduce distracted driving crashes.

 

In Florida, one in seven crashes involve distracted drivers.

 

Distracted driving is defined as any activity that causes the driver to divert their attention from driving, such as texting or talking on the phone, eating or drinking, conversing with passengers, or adjusting the car's entertainment or navigation system.

 

Careless driving led to over 158 thousand crashes in Florida last year, texting and driving led to about 6600 of those crashes.

 

Preliminary numbers indicate that in 2023, nearly 300 people in Florida died due to distracted driving, up 23 deaths from 2022.

 

Texting is one of the most dangerous driver distractions since it takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel and your mind off of driving.

 

Texting and driving is a primary offense in Florida, which means you can and should be pulled over for doing it.

 

The penalty for first-time violators for texting and driving is $30 plus court costs, which could add up to more than $100.

 

If you are caught texting and driving in a school zone or work zone you face a $60 fine, court costs and three points added to the driver’s license.

 

And remember, if you see someone driving dangerously, you should report it by calling *FHP on your cell phone.

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