Florida Injury And Accident Lawyer Blog

Southwest Floridians need "a no texting bill" to be passed immediately. Naplesnews.com followed the story of Tracy Cate who was stopped at a red light in North Naples on May 23,2009. Cate was tragically killed while stopped at a red light at the intersection of Pine Ridge Road and Whippoorwill Lane. Authorities say Riccardo Blas Rivas II, who was 16 at the time, failed to stop at a red light and caused a chain reaction crash involving seven other vehicles. Rivas was sending text messages just before the crash. 32-year-old,Tracy Cate left behind her son Gilbert and her daughter Alexia. Florida is hoping to add a No Texting While Driving Bill in 2010. Govenor Charlie Crist endorsed a ban on texting in November 2009. Govenor Christ stated, "It's important that we do everything we can to make sure that our fellow Floridians are safe." "The obvious danger of it (texting while driving) is absurd." (More than a dozen bills on texting while driving have been filed for consideration in the spring 2010 session). In addition to Florida jumping on campaign trail to ban texting while driving, so has the popular media icon Oprah Winfrey. At www.handsfreeinfo.com, Oprah claims to have launched a "No Phone Zone" campaign. According to the website, Winfrey said before the show: “Most people think they can text and talk on the phone, and they can handle it, and it’s the ‘other’ people who can’t really handle it. “So what needs to happen, I strongly believe, is that the laws need to change to put us all in check. Everybody thinks that they can handle it. But you can’t. You can’t.” "The TV talk titan devoted Monday’s show to distracted driving, with appearances by people who have lost loved ones to someone using a handheld cell phone or text messaging." Also on www.handsfreeinfo.com are cell phone safety tips-for example-know your phone-fumbling through your cell phone menu while driving is dangerous. Dial while stopped, ask passengers to make the call for you or answer the phone for you. There are many other suggestions mentioned should you choose to use your cell phone. On a personal note: My husband and I recently had brought a child into this world, and we now have a rule that we are not allowed to use our cellphones while driving with the baby in the car. After writing this blog-I think we should have a rule to not talk on the cell phone PERIOD while we are driving. Whether or not the baby is in the car with us, we shouldn't use the phone while driving because we could hurt someone else. (We don't really text much, but of course no texting while driving too). I hope Florida passes the bill on no texting while driving in 2010. I hope a bill of no talking on the cell phone while driving will follow soon thereafter. I know this may not be the most popular position to be taking, but then again, as a personal injury attorney, a mother and a wife, I would rather see less lives be lost carelessly. Just a few thoughts for you to consider. Amanda Downing