For now, Florida nicely asks drivers to stay off their cell phones and just drive.
Through its "Stay Alive… Just Drive" campaign, Florida is taking a softer approach than the six states and the District of Columbia that ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. Another 17 states have partial bans.
Monday the Florida Highway Patrol began distributing brochures and pamphlets during routine stops to educate drivers about how to avoid and eliminate distractions while driving, FHP Capt. Mark Welch said.
FHP teamed up with the "Stay Alive… Just Drive" program to campaign after Gov. Charlie Crist declared July as Distracted Driving Awareness Month, Welch said.
Jay Anderson, the executive director of the campaign, said the program asks people to pull over to do anything other than drive while behind the wheel.
The most visible distraction while driving is cell phones, but laptops, iPods, grooming, eating and disciplining children are also major problems, he said.
Anderson said one problem is that young people are in constant communication and don't stop when they drive.
"You have to ask yourself if the risk is worth it while you're behind the wheel," he said.
A typical distraction lasts about three seconds. A car traveling 45 mph can travel half the length of a football field in that amount of time, he said.
"Failure to pay attention results in preventable crashes," Anderson said.
There were 1,796 crashes in Florida in 2003 that were caused by distracted drivers, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Web site. Twenty percent of drivers were reported as having been on their cell phone.
Tips to avoid distraction include: pull over to text or talk on the phone, read the newspaper at home, limit the amount of time spent messing with the radio or CDs and scan the roadway ahead, according to the department.
