Talahassee, Fla. (WFLA) – Texting and driving are prohibited in Florida.
But Tallahassee lawmakers want to take that a step further, with a hands-free bill moving across the state capitol.
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The bill has strengthened support in the Senate, but it appears to be stuck in the House. This is a similar trend that Floridians saw their final session, but instead of being stuck at home, they held up in the Senate.
Whether you’re checking social media or considering directions on the map, the hands-free bill attempts to ban all phones in the palm of your hand while driving.
“It’s extremely dangerous. I know that a lot of people lose their lives due to distracting driving,” said FSU student Kayla Custer.
“A lot of people around me use social media while driving, and that’s not safe,” said FSU student Kyle Gutierrez. “I know a lot of people who have been injured by distracted driving.”
Students, parents and supporters are all calling lawmakers and hope that it will launch a move to get the house version beyond the finish line.
“You can’t avoid accountability by doing this. You can’t hide behind a chair by doing this. We know who you are.
Blanca lost his son, Anthony, after a distracted driver killed him in 2014. Since then he has been a passionate fighter to sign the law.
8 On your part, you spoke to Blanca about his concerns and asked what the message to the chair of his committee would be. Blanca shared that the chairman of the Government Works Subcommittee should straighten priorities and consider the bill.
“It’s immeasurable,” Blanca said. “No calm, stone-like person can imagine people willingly be happy to die for their own convenience, because they don’t want to use Bluetooth while they drive.
The bill has stagnated in the House and continues to gain support in the Senate, but that won’t come without a pushback from lawmakers. Some senators will not support the current language of the bill until further restrictions are added for those who break the law.
“If we’re cracking down on driving that’s really distracting, we’re all distracted, including the kind of shaving we saw, all of us put on your makeup in your car and eat while we’re driving, that’s all distracting,” said Sen. Blaze Ingoglier, R-Spring Hill. “Everything that makes someone’s attention from the road focus on something else in the car should be in a distracting form of driving, and that’s what needs to be dealt with.”
The bill will be heard on the Senate floor on Wednesday. Supporters hope it will be picked up at home to reach the governor’s desk.
