The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), a division of the FLHSMV, is collaborating with law enforcement partners to promote April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Throughout the month of April, the CCSO Traffic Unit will be hypervigilant enforcing distracted driving and will have an increased presence within school zones throughout the county. It’s extremely important to protect our youth as they travel to and from school.
Did you know that in 2020, there were a total of 48,488 distracted driving crashes, with 299 of them causing a fatality? That’s 299 too many.
Distracted driving is considered anything that takes your hands off the wheel, your eyes off the road or mind off driving. It is extremely risky behavior that puts everyone on the road in danger. Texting requires all three types of distraction, making it one of the most dangerous of distracted driving behaviors. However, this is not the only cause of distracted driving. Other common distractions include: tending to kids or passengers in the back seat, eating, watching an event outside of the vehicle, interacting with passengers, unsecured pets, putting on makeup or grooming, adjusting radio or climate controls, checking your GPS app or system and even daydreaming.
Section 316.305, Florida Statutes, went into effect on July 1, 2019. Motorists can be stopped and cited for texting and driving. The second part of the law, section 316.306, Florida Statutes, went into effect on October 1, 2019, in which a motorist can be pulled over and issued a warning for using wireless communications devices in a handheld manner in school and work zones. As of January 1, 2020, motorists can be issued a citation for not using a device in a hands-free manner in school and work zones.
Visit FLHSMV’s website for more information and resources for the Distracted Driving Awareness Month campaign. The public is encouraged to report dangerous and drunk drivers by dialing *FHP (*347) or 911.
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