State Sen. Maria Sachs stood with Scott Israel and the Broward Sheriffs Office to ban texting and driving Wednesday.
“You know, Florida is one of six states that has nothing on the books with regard to distracted driving,” said Sachs, D-Delray Beach, who has brought forward Senate Bill 74.
In her fight to stop the rising number of driving fatalities, the senator and the BSO teamed up with Broward College’s Institute of Public Safety to draw attention to the growing problem by demonstrating the dangers of distracted driving. Studies show that drinking and driving impairs your vision and timing on the road – but texting and driving magnifies that.
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Wayne Boulier is the institute’s lead driving instructor.
“If a person is driving 35 miles per hour, they’re traveling about 51 feet per second. If you’re looking down average 1 or 2 seconds, you’re already traveling (an) average 100 to 102 feet,” he said.
Boulier says even in the simulator, by the time you realize there’s danger ahead, your reaction time is not safe anymore and a split decision can quickly turn into a very bad one.
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“I’d like to thank the senator for bringing this bill before our state,” said Israel, the new Broward sheriff. “It’s relevant, it’s important and Senator, as sure as we’re standing here, it’s going to save lives.”
Sachs said texting and driving puts everybody’s life at risk, and that if Senate Bill 74 is passed it will be a huge win for the state of Florida.
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