Combatting Distracted Driving

MUCH. >> TEXTING AND DRIVING A DANGEROUS MIX AND GETTING WORSE IN FLORIDA, FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL TROOPER SAY DISTRACTED DRIVING IS A HUGE PROBLEM IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA MADE WORSE WITH OUR BOOMING POPULATION TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND MORE DRIVERS FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD. WE TOOK A RIDE WITH FHP TO SEE HOW THEY ARE CRACKING DOWN ON DANGEROUS AND DISTRACTED DRIVERS. >> IT'S GO TIME FOR TROOPER DAVID BLAKE IN FORT MYERS, THE 6 YEAR VETERAN OF THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL SAYS WHEN HE GETS BEHIND THE WHEEL ON DUTY EACH DAY. >> HIS FOCUS IS ON DRIVERS WHO ARE NOT >> SO WE'RE GOING TO DO IS JUST KIND OF SLOWLY PASSING CARS. AND WHILE WE'RE PAST AND TAKE A LOOK AT ANN'S >> SEAT BELTS, EYES HERE, EVERYBODY TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO BE. DO. >> WE RIDE ALONG WITH TROOPER BLAKE AS HE STARTS HIS TENT HOUR SHIFT WITHIN MINUTES OF JUMPING ON. I-75 YEAR. BLAKE PULLS OVER THE FIRST DRIVER OF THE DAY. >> WE ARE GOING TO BE GETTING A TICKET, OK? IT'S GOING TO BE FROM THE TEXTING WHILE DRIVING STATUE TO BE $109 FINE. JUST A FIRST OFFENSE TICKET FOR TEXTING WHILE DRIVING. AND THEN. AND WE'LL LET A FRIEND. >> THE WOMAN TAKES HER TICKET HAS NO QUESTIONS FOR THE TROOPER AND DRIVES OFF. >> ON THE NEXT SHORTLY AFTER BLAKE PULLS UP ON ANOTHER DRIVER. >> CAUGHT LOOKING DOWN AT HIS PHONE WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. >> WHAT WE'RE DOING? >> IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING ON EVERY TEXAN, SOMEBODY OR DO YOU THINK? >> WITHIN AN HOUR OF RIDING ALONG INTERSTATE 75. 3 DISTRACTED DRIVERS RECEIVE TICKETS. >> WE'RE OVER. SHE SAID THAT SHE GOT A TEXT FROM HER DOCTOR. SO SHE WAS REPLYING TO HER DOCTOR. BUT YOU USING THE TEXT TO SPEECH BUT EVEN HERSELF ADMITTED THAT YOU HAVE TO OPEN THE TEXT APP. YOU HAVE TO PRESS THE MESSAGE. YOU GOT TO PRESS THE TEXAS BEACH BUTTON. ALL THAT IS MANIPULATING YOURSELF ON YOUR OWN HIM. IT CAN BE >> BLAKE SAYS HE'LL OFTEN RIGHT BETWEEN. 25 AND 40 TICKETS PER SHIFT AVERAGING ABOUT 500 TICKETS PER MONTH. >> SO RIGHT NOW, THE CURRENT LAW INVOLVES MANIPULATING ENTERING CHARACTERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT THROUGH TEXT MESSAGES OR EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES, MANIPULATING YOUR PHONE WITH YOUR HAND WHILE DRIVING. THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS. IF YOU'RE LIKE USING NAVIGATION AND STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT IF YOU'RE USING NAVIGATION IS YOUR PHONE SHOULD JUST BE THERE. YOU REALLY SHOULD BE CLICK LACKING ON IT. REGARDLESS. THERE'S SOME OTHER LAWS THAT WE CAN ALSO USE TO HELP CURB SOME DISTRACTED DRIVING LIKE TELEVISION. IF YOU HAVE DRIVER, THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT ABOUT IF THERE IS A TELEVISION BROADCAST, SOME KIND OF VIDEO BEING BROADCAST WATCHED BY THAT DRIVER. THAT'S ANOTHER TOOL IN OUR TOOL BELT TO STOP DISTRACTED DRIVERS. SO I'VE SEEN IT BEFORE WHERE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING ON THE ROAD FACETIME AND THEIR FRIENDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT CHAT WITH THEM. WE'RE ALSO SEEING PEOPLE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHERE THEY HAD THEIR PHONE PROPPED UP WATCHING A MOVIE WILL BE WATCHING STAR WARS OR SOMETHING DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. >> THE COST FOR DRIVERS WHO GET CAUGHT. >> AND NOW SHE GOT 198. >> PLUS, THE RISK OF HIGHER CAR INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND EVEN POINTS ON THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSES. BUT FOR HUNDREDS OF OTHERS IN FLORIDA EVERY YEAR, DISTRACTED DRIVING COSTS THEIR LIVES AND THE WORST PART IS SEEING FAMILY MEMBERS ARE. >> HAVING TO CALL THEM LATER. CONTACT THEM. WE HAVE TO MAKE NEXT OF KIN NOTIFICATIONS. LET THEM KNOW THAT FAMILY MEMBERS DIED AND VERY GRUESOME WAY. UNFORTUNATELY. >> FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER MATTHEW GARCIA SAYS AS OUR POPULATION AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION INCREASES. >> SO JUST DISTRACTED DRIVING. SO LET'S DO BETTER AS A STATE AS >> COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND BE MORE RESPONSIBLE ON THE ROADWAYS BECAUSE OF THE END OF THE DAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. LIVES AT STAKE. I KNOW IT'S EASY. IT'S SOMETHING WE JUMP IN THE CAR AND DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. BUT AFTER LIVING THROUGH IT AND SEEING THESE PRETTY GRUESOME CRASHES EVERY SINGLE DAY, SLOW DOWN, PAY ATTENTION. AND LET'S ALL ARRIVAL ON. >> TROOPER BLAKE HOPES EACH TICKET GIVEN A TANGIBLE REMINDER THAT COULD RESULT IN A LIFE SAVED DOWN THE ROAD. APRIL KICK-OFF DISTRACTED DRIVING AWARENESS MONTH, FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL AND PARTNERS ARE REMINDING DRIVERS TO PUT DOWN THE PHONE AND FOCUS ON THE ROAD. TROOPERS SAY DISTRACTED DRIVING CAUSED ALMOST 53,000 CRASHES IN FLORIDA LAST YEAR ALONE, HANDS FREE, FLORIDA AIMS TO MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO HOLD THE DEVICE WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING. JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT THIS EFFORT IS MELISSA HAMRICK OF HANDS FREE, FLORIDA, MELISSA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FROM TALLAHASSEE. >> YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME, JENNIFER. TRULY A PLEASURE. >> CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT IS HANDS FREE, FLORIDA WHO MAKES THIS GROUP OFTEN? WHAT IS YOUR MISSION? >> CERTAINLY HEADS FOR FLORIDA IS A NETWORK OF CONCERNED CITIZENS ALL BASED IN FLORIDA WERE COMPRISED OF INJURY PREVENTION SPECIALIST PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS AND THEN OF COURSE, CONCERNED CITIZENS ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP BRING AWARENESS TO THIS IMPORTANT CAUSE. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, HELP CHANGE THE LAW TO MAKE TEXTING AND DRIVING OR ANY PHONE USE HANDS FREE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. >> THE FLORIDA ALREADY BANS TEXTING WHILE DRIVING. BUT YOUR GROUP SAYS THIS LAW DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE HOPING WITH A CHANGE IN THE LAW? >> THAT'S CORRECT. SO THE CURRENT LAW IS ESSENTIALLY UNENFORCEABLE. SO IN CURRENT STATUTE, IT MAKES ILLEGAL TEXTING AND DRIVING. BUT REALLY IT UNLESS YOU HAVE CAUSED EITHER GROSS PROPERTY DAMAGE, FATALITY OR SERIOUS INJURY, THERE'S NO WAY TO PROVE THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY TEXTING AND DRIVING WITHOUT LOOKING AT YOUR DEVICE. AND SO LAW ENFORCEMENT, OF COURSE, IS NOT GOING TO DO THAT FOR EVERY CRASH OR EVERY TICKET. SO AS A RESULT, IT'S BECOME A VERY UNENFORCEABLE ISSUE BY MAKING THE LAW HANDS FREE LAW. IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY MAKE IT ILLEGAL SIMPLY TO HAVE THE DEVICE IN YOUR HAND, THAT ALONE REMOVES ANY BACK AND FORTH. IT REMOVES US HAVING TO SAY WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY DOING ON YOUR PHONE. BUT RATHER JUST PUTS THE FOCUS AND THE ATTENTION ON THE FACT THAT YOU WERE NOT PAYING ATTENTION, WHICH IS REALLY WHERE IT SHOULD BE. >> NOW, HOW DOES HANDS FREE MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE ACTUAL NUMBERS? I HAD READ THAT OHIO HAD SOME STATS THAT REALLY GAVE SOME SUPPORT TO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IN FLORIDA. ABSOLUTELY. SO. >> OHIO PASSED A LAW 2023. AND SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THAT LAW, THEY'VE SEEN A YEAR OVER HERE, 10% DECLINE AND THEIR OVERALL TRAFFIC CRASHES AND THEN IN FATALITIES ALONE, 3% WE KNOW THAT THIS LAW WORKS. WE KNOW THAT IF THEY'RE INFORCEMENT IS HAPPENING, THAT EDUCATION CAN ALSO TAKE PLACE. BUT YOU HAVE BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN. YOU HAVE THE EDUCATION AND THEN THE CONSEQUENCE OF ENFORCEMENT HELPING CHANGE BEHAVIOR AND BRING THESE NUMBERS DOWN. >> WOULD THERE BE STRICTER PENALTIES IF THIS MEASURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON WOULD GET PASSED? >> SO THE CURRENT STATUTE DOES NOT INCREASE THE OVERALL PENALTY. IT REALLY JUST MAKES IT AND FORCIBLE. AND SO IT PUTS THE POWER BACK INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS TO ACTUALLY WRITE THE TICKET THAT CREATES THAT INFRACTION OR THAT ABILITY TO PENALIZE. SO WE'VE REALLY BEEN CONSCIOUS AND ATTENTIVE TO THE FACT THAT WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BECOME AN ANYWHERE PROFILING ISSUE EITHER. SO THERE ARE SPECIAL PROVISIONS WITHIN THE LAW THAT REQUIRE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO TRACK THE OVERALL DEMOGRAPHICS OF THOSE THAT THEY'RE PULLING OVER TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO DISPARITY OR EQUITY. >> NOW, CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE ACTUAL PETITION? I KNOW YOU ARE TRYING TO GET SIGNATURES AND GAIN SUPPORT FOR THIS ONLINE. HOW CAN PEOPLE GET INVOLVED IN THIS AND PROMOTE THIS CAUSE? SURE. SO. >> SIMPLY AND MOST EASILY VISIT OUR WEBSITE HANDSFREE FLORIDA DOT ORG. YOU CAN JOIN OUR CAUSE. YOU CAN BECOME A MEMBER OF THE COALITION. WE'RE REALLY WORKING TO BUILD A GRASSROOTS FOCUS. SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT OUR LEGISLATORS UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR CONSTITUENTS WANT THIS. WE DID DO A RECENT POLL OF OVER 1000 FLORIDIANS AND RESOUNDINGLY. 91% OPPOSED AGREED UTILIZING ARE UTILIZING THE DEVICE WHILE DRIVING INCREASED THEIR CRASH RISK OVER 83% OF THOSE CONSTITUENTS SURVEYED BELIEVE THAT HANDS FREE LAW WOULD BE VALUABLE ARE BENEFICIAL TO INCREASING SAFETY EFFORTS. SO WE KNOW WE KNOW THAT THE CONSTITUENTS WANT THIS. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THEIR VOICE BEING HEARD BY LEGISLATORS. >> IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT THE DANGERS OF DISTRACTED DRIVING AND ALSO YOUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE THAT THAT THIS REALLY THESE NUMBERS REALLY START TO COME DOWN. ABSOLUTELY. SO. >> YOU KNOW, IF I WERE TO GIVE ONE TAKEAWAY IS THAT WE ALL HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THIS OUTCOME. EVERYONE ON THE ROAD WHEN YOU GET INTO THAT CAR REALLY JUST TAKING A MOMENT TO JUST SET THAT UPS BEFORE YOU LEAVE. PULL OVER TO TAKE THAT CALL. YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO DO THE SAME OR EVEN JUST SPEAKING UP. IF YOU'RE A PASSENGER IN A VEHICLE AND YOU FEEL UNSAFE, THESE ARE ALL VERY EASY THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE GETS HOME ALIVE AND SAFE WAY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR STORY TODAY AND ALSO ENCOURAGING THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE PUBLIC IN HELPING TO RESOLVE ITS REALLY A GROWING CRISIS ON THE ROADWAYS TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> ABSOLUTELY. MY PLEASURE, JENNIFER. THANK YOU FOR HAVING