Admit it. Sometimes, you hold your phone while driving, glancing down to switch music or maybe to peek at a social media notification. Most of us have been there. 🤦‍♀️

But under the law that went into effect on July 1, it is illegal to text while driving in Florida.

Image via GIPHY

📱The law

Drivers are prohibited from manually typing or entering letters, numbers, symbols, or characters into a wireless communications device or sending + reading data for the purpose of non-voice interpersonal communication while driving.
Law enforcement, first responders, radio broadcasts + autonomous vehicle drivers are excluded.
People reporting an emergency or criminal activity are also excluded.

📱Penalties

The first conviction for a non-moving traffic violation is $30.
The second conviction for a moving violation (within five years) is $60 and three points on your license.
Starting Oct. 1, 2019, you can be pulled over and issued a warning if you’re in a work zone or school zone but from Jan. 1, 2020, you’ll be issued a citation for not using a device in a hands-free manner in those zones.

📱 What is allowed

Using a device or system in a hands-free manner for navigation purposes.
Using a device hands-free or hands-free in voice-operated mode, including a factory-installed or after-market Bluetooth device.

📱 By the numbers

In 2018, there were 52,129 accidents in Florida that involved a distracted driver. That’s an average of 143 crashes a day.
In Polk County, there were 1,305 crashes that involved distracted driving. (Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles)

📱Poll

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– LALtoday team (Jessica + Kaylee)