Crist gives green light to ban on texting while driving
by Dara Kam | November 17th, 2009Gov. Charlie Crist wants to ban texting and driving, joining a movement already underway to force drivers to forgo messaging while they’re behind the wheel.
“I think it would provide some safety for our people,” Crist told Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Julie Jones.
Jones’ legislative proposals didn’t include the ban, already sought by several lawmakers who vow passage of a ban during next year’s legislative session.
She said she’d add it to her list along with a request to beef up the state’s aggressive driving laws which no carry no penalty.
Florida law now identifies “aggressive drivers” as those who break two laws simultaneously, for example tailgating while speeding.
But there’s no additional penalty for being an aggressive driver and there’s no special identifier tagging the miscreants.
Jones wants lawmakers to change that and also force the aggressive drivers to attend drivers’ school.
Some folks might not like that, observed Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink.
“I bet your insurance company’s not going to like it either,” she said.
Tags: Alex Sink, Charlie Crist, driving, Florida Cabinet, Julie Jones, texting
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November 17th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Thank you, Gov. Crist for joining this move for change. I don’t know how many more major accidents, near accidents and the like have to occur before we ban texting while driving. It’s crazy to think someone can focus on safe driving at the same time. Texting while driving is something that must be banned and enforced.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
We already have laws for “reckless driving”.
It’s simple: Instead of having the police watch their radar gun, they should be observing the road. When they see someone driving eractic, then they should pull them over.
November 17th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
So who will monitor the police to make sure they aren’t becoming enmeshed in a massive Ponzi scheme?
November 17th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
[...] *Crist gives green list to ban on texting while driving [...]
November 17th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
How will they prove you were actually texting and not answering a call, or checking the time or changing the song if you phone has that capability ?
November 17th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Its about time that this state came into
the 21st Century. There should be hands
free phones and absolutely no texting. The people in this state drive poorly
as is-why give them an excuse to kill
and injure innocent people who share
the roads with them. If caught-there
should be heavy penalties like jail
time and raised insurance premiums for
those who can’t seem to follow the
rules.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
This is the type of move that sounds great at press conferences and looks great on paper but will NOT BE ENFORCEABLE and thus is USELESS. What’s the point?!
You’re going to have to–what?–have a cop catch someone in the act of texting while driving? Charge people with one more thing after-the-fact when and if they have a crash? (Like that’ll be a big deal to them.)
Someone please explain how this can possibly be put into effect in a meaningful, practical way, please, instead of just nodding and saying “way to go.” Great ideas don’t do anything unless they have implementation to back them up, and the devil is in the details.
November 18th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
[...] Crist gives green light to ban on texting while driving | Post on … [...]
November 19th, 2009 at 7:31 am
Well I text and Drive all the time.. except during rush hour or near school zones… I drive with one hand on the wheel and I text with the other…. at the same time my eyes are on the road… I don’t need to look and text… I’m just that good with my Palm Treo… well if they Ban Texting while driving.. they must Ban eating while driving too…
November 26th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Texting and driving do not go together. I cannot imagine crashing my car while texting. I use drivesafe.ly for reading and sending text messages