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Florida is currently considering new legislation which would allow authorities to cite drivers who text and drive. There are multiple research studies to suggest that cell phones contribute to car accidents in Miami and other communities. However, one reason why texting bans have not been passed in Florida in the past is because many lawmakers note that any type of distracted driving can lead to car and truck accidents in Miami and other communities. It is impossible to legislate all possible forms of distraction in a car, and there are many types of distracted driving that police officers see regularly in South Florida:

1) Reading. Some drivers attempt to read text messages or even the newspaper while they drive, taking their eyes off the road for seconds at a time, putting themselves at risk of a serious collision.

2) Eating and drinking. Most cars have drink holders and many commuters in Miami and other cities take their morning coffee with them on the road. Drive-throughs also allow drivers to easily pick up food for a snack. According to authorities, however, eating and drinking in the car leads to many traffic accidents in Miami and Florida each year. Beverages can easily spill, which can distract drivers. Drivers who are eating and drinking are also taking their eyes and focus off the road as they open food wrappers and consume food.

3) Checking maps. Checking maps is dangerous, of course, since it removes a driver’s focus and eyes from the road. According to some experts, GPS devices may not be much better, if drivers are programming their destination into the device or taking these eyes off the road to check the devices.

4) Writing. Jotting down notes is dangerous, yet drivers do it every day.

5) Daydreaming. Recent studies suggest that mindless driving –
daydreaming or thinking about something besides driving – removes focus from the road and slows driver response times enough to cause a serious accident.

6) Changing music or adjusting the radio in the truck. This causes pedestrian accidents in Miami and across Florida each day. Devices such as MP3 players and iPods can actually help, since they allow drivers to program hours of music at a time, so that no adjustment is necessary.

7) Emotions. Research has shown that road rage leads to accidents because drivers are distracted and take risks when they drive angry. However, any strong emotion – anger, fear, upset, sadness – can mean that drivers are not fully focused on the road because they are thinking about whatever is behind the emotion.

Passengers. Speaking with passengers means that drivers are thinking about the conversation rather than about the road. This is one reason why some experts believe that hands-free mobile devices may not be safe for drivers, either.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

When we think of distracted driving, most of us think of driving with a cell phone to our ear. While there is no doubt that cell phones and mobile devices lead to Florida car accidents, they are not the only cause of distractions. In fact, some of the most common distractions are far more low-tech:

1) Pets. Pets often need to be ferried to the vet, but most types of pets don’t respond well to a moving car. They can easily panic and get underfoot. Even a well-behaved dog can suddenly become unruly if it notices something interesting out of the window. The safest place for your pets in the car is in a pet carrier. This is safest for both you and your pets. With your pets safely stowed, you won’t have to be checking on your pets and you won’t have your visibility compromised by pets jumping in front of the windows.

2) Children. Children can easily be a distraction that can cause you to take your eyes off the road. Whether you are trying to tame two fighting siblings, get something away from your infant, or are checking on the source of mysterious sounds from the back seat, taking your eyes off the road for even seconds can mean a dangerous Florida pedestrian accident. Younger children should be placed in an age-appropriate child restrain, far from anything they can grab. Older children should be given some form of activity or game for the trip so that they can play quietly without being a distraction.

3) Passengers. Passengers may wish to chat and may take your mind off the road. An animated conversation in the car can also cause you naturally to take your eyes off the road to look at the speaker. You don’t have to insist on complete silence, but playing music and having passengers in charge of the play list can help keep conversation naturally to a minimum.

4) Objects. Whether it’s a purse dropping to the floor of your car or your groceries tumbling in the back seat or a CD that just doesn’t want to pop into the player, objects in your car can distract. Keep all non-essentials in the trunk and if something falls down, wait until you are pulled over to retrieve it. Today’s iPod decks let you create entire play lists for the duration of your trip, so that you never have to change the music.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

In Florida, there is no ban on using cell phones and driving. Even so, many drivers are switching to phone applications which allow them to text hands-free. The applications read back text messages and allow drivers to deliver text messages by speaking their messages and then converting the audio file into text. However, police are worried that these phone applications may give drivers only the illusion of greater safety.

Police in Florida and across the country are worried about distracted driving. Distracted driving has been shown to decrease response times and cause accidents. In fact, many experts equate distracted driving accidents with Florida drunk driving accidents – both distracted drivers and drunk drivers are dangerous because they have poor motor skills and cannot focus on the road in a safe manner.

Cell phones are considered a key distraction, because during texting drivers must avert their eyes from the road for several seconds at a time – more than enough time to cause a serious Florida pedestrian accident or traffic accident. There are now five apps on the market which can covert texts into voicemail and spoken messages into texts. The apps are legal in every state because they do not require a driver to hold their device while driving. However, experts worry that the apps are just another way for distracted drivers to drive distracted.

Customers have responded well to the apps, some claiming that they have no time to pull over to send a text or place a call. Some also say that the apps are a more realistic option for distracted driving. Indeed, many polls and studies seem to suggest that some drivers will continue to try to text and drive or talk and drive. The apps at least ensure that their eyes stay on the road and their hands stay on the wheel as they do so.

However, police officers and other experts say that distracted driving is more about the mind than it is about just the hands and eyes. Even with a handless device, drivers can easily become distracted by their phone conversations or text messages and can still easily cause an accident. Some even worry that the new technology itself may be a distraction to drivers.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog