Florida proposal bans holding or touching a smartphone while driving

Earlier this week, a newly enacted law prohibits you from using your phone while driving through school or construction zones. Now, a new proposal would go even further, with a ban on holding or touching a smartphone while driving.

Aimee Holbrook, who is a mother of two 15-year-old boys, said she worries about the dangers of distracted driving. She told WINK News that she talks to her kids about their habit of being on their phones.

“Having to switch to becoming drivers and not being on my phone,” Holbrook said, “is going to be a hard lesson for them to learn.”

A recently proposed bill calls for outlawing holding or touching a cell phone while driving.

On Monday, the hands-free part of Florida’s new texting and driving law went into effect. It is now illegal for drivers to hold a smartphone in school and construction zones.

So far, 20 states and Washington D.C. all ban hand-held cell phones while driving. However, some say it is not enough.

“When I saw it in the school zone,” Holbrook said, “obviously it made sense to me.”

“It’s a very good idea,” Charity Johnson said. “Anytime I drive next to somebody and see them with the phone in their hands and I have my babies in my car, I think it’s obviously it should be illegal.”

Drivers WINK News spoke with questioned how law enforcement would catch rule-breakers, but feel it is worth a shot.

“It’s going to be hard,” Mellie Prophete said. “Especially if the kids or whoever has it down and they can’t see it. It’s going to have to be good visual sights.”