Starting October first, texting while driving will be illegal in Florida. The new law was signed by the governor in May, and starting Tuesday, you can be given a $30 ticket for your first offense. Supporters of the new law say texting is more dangerous than drunk driving.
Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant Jeff Frost says people should focus on just one thing when they're behind the wheel of a car: driving it. Frost says this is especially true for Florida’s youngest drivers.
"Teens are most likely to be the ones texting or using a cell phone while driving", said Frost. 11% of the fatal crashes where the drivers were 20 years old or younger were a result of distracted driving."
There are several loopholes in the new law. A ticket can be issued only for what is known as a secondary offense, which is when the driver has already been pulled over for something else. Also, the new law makes exceptions for the use of GPS devices and talk-to-text technology.
It also allows texting while stopped at red lights and for reporting criminal behavior.