Monday, August 5, 2019

Important Warning for All Florida Drivers and Visitors


Texting while driving? It could cost you!


Hello again, everyone. I have a question for you: are you reading this while driving? If so, please stop immediately, put down the phone, and keep your eyes on the road!
I’m sure you all know by now that distracted drivers cause a lot of accidents. More and more people have smartphones and are using them to send texts, take videos, or even snap selfies while they are on the road. You probably see people doing this every day on your commute.

But you may not realize just how dangerous this is. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently released a report that includes some alarming statistics about distracted drivers. In 2015, there were 391,000 (thousand!!!) people injured in accidents that involved a driver that was distracted by their mobile device. 3,477 people were killed in such distracted driving accidents. In 2016 another 3,450 people were killed. We can be sure in 2019 still more people will lose their lives because drivers were using their smartphones instead of keeping their eyes on the road.

Because using your smartphone while driving is such a danger, most of states have passed laws against it. Up until this year, Florida was one of the few states that did not have a texting-while-driving law. But now it does, and not a moment too soon!

In 2017 a study showed that Florida was the second worst state in the US for distracted driving (Lousiana was first). Studies have shown that in our state there are about 50,000 distracted driving accidents per year. That is more than five crashes every hour in our state alone! I don’t need to tell you that that is far too many.

The new Florida ban on texting while driving law allows police officers to pull drivers over just for using their smartphone or mobile device while driving. The first offense will cost you a $30 ticket. The second offense will result in a $60 ticket. This doesn’t include things like court costs and getting points on your license. Using your smartphone while driving could get expensive fast!
Every day in my office I see patients who have been injured and are in great pain thanks to car accidents. Many of these accidents involve drivers who were paying attention to their phone and not to the road. 

Let me say it clearly: DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE! Under Florida’s new law, it could cost you money. Worse, it puts your life in danger, not to mention the lives of everyone on the road with you. If you really need to send a text, find a safe place to pull over and park. Otherwise, that text can wait until you arrive at your destination!
Stay safe out there friends!

Yours in health,
















Christopher B. Renne, D.C.
Active Medical & Chiropractic
4111 Atlantic Boulevard
Jacksonville, FL 32207
904-398-4860