The Safe Driver's Act of 2011-an end to hand-held mobile devices in Florida? But, does it go far enough? Gainesville accident attorney speaks up.

While Florida stalls, the feds forge ahead to legislatively ban hand-held mobile devices, while operating a vehicle. 

On June 23, 2011, U.S. House Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) introduced the Safe Driver's Act of 2011 (H.B. 2333) to ban the use of hand-held mobile devices behind the wheel. 

The bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to study the risks of hand-held device use and to make recommendations.  Proposed legislation makes exceptions for emergency cell phone use, hands-free mobile devices, and voice-activated GPS.  The bill would ban texting at the wheel. 

Federal regulation of a public safety traffic issue is not unprecedented.  In 2000, President Clinton signed into law a bill requiring states to pass a .08 BAC limit within two years or lose federal highway construction funding. 

Similarly, states will have two years to comply with the proposed legislation.  Currently, Florida trails 34 U.S. states that have already banned texting and the use of hand-held mobile devices, while driving. 

Distracted driving and texting continue to pose public safety hazards. In 2009, approximately 448,000 people were injured in distraction-related accidents and 5,474 were killed, accounting for 1 in 6 traffic deaths (DOT/NHTSA).

As an accident attorney, I fully support this bill as a needed first step to protect Florida's residents and visitors.  Do I think it goes far enough?  No.  Even if passed, this bill does nothing to prevent the inattention blindness that results from both hands-free devices and, the equally as dangerous, hand-held devices, while on the road.   Using a cell phone while driving, hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reaction time as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08%. 

Currently, the bill is under House Committee consideration. To track the Safe Driver's Act of 2011 (H.B. 2333), please see, govtrack.us/congress bill.

For more information:

Bad News for Floridians, - On the road texting and celling behind the wheel remains legal.

Proposed Federal Legislation to Ban Hands-Held Mobile Use while Driving