Florida Department of

TRANSPORTATION

State Safety Office

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is typified by any mental or physical activity that takes the driver’s focus off the task of driving. The Florida crash report allows officers to report driver distraction in the following categories: distracted by electronic communication devices (cell phone, etc), other electronic devices (navigation device, DVD player), other distraction inside the vehicle, external distraction (outside the vehicle), texting or general inattentiveness.

Effective October 1, 2013, texting while driving is a citable offense in the State of Florida. However, there are no grant funds designated for Distracted Driving Programs at this time. Florida has identified Distracted Driving as one of eight traffic safety priority concerns. For more information, please refer to the Distracted Driving Emphasis Area of Florida's 2012 Strategic Highway Safety Plan.

1. Prevention: Education and Enforcement programs aimed at reducing distracted driving.

2. Criminal Justice System Support: Educate law enforcement officers on Florida traffic crash report distracted driving data collection; educate  law enforcement, judges and magistrates on the existing laws applicable to distracted driving (careless driving).

3. Communication: Public awareness and education activities targeting at risk demographics and geographic locations.

In summer 2012, the department partnered with local governments and organizations in the Just Put It Down Campaign. Here's a video produced by the City of Miami