• Tweet
• Sumo

• Tweet

Russell Hurd has been an advocate for anti-texting laws in the State of Florida after his daughter was killed in Polk County, Florida by a truck driver. Hurd’s daughter, Heather, and her fiancé were on the way to discuss the details of their wedding at Walt Disney World when a the driver of a tractor trailer, intent on texting, ran a red light and slammed into the back of eight cars, including Heather’s.
Bills have been proposed to the Florida Legislature to stop texting while driving, but all of those bills died in committees during the Legislature’s session earlier this year.
Although there is no law prohibiting cell phone use while driving, there are alternatives for worried parents. Below are a list of some of the alternatives:
1. Text Blockers – when a cell phone is in a moving vehicle the service uses a GPS to lock up the phone’s buttons prohibiting its use, except for 9-1-1 and other emergency numbers. You can also create a special map that includes “No Cell Zones” designating geographical areas that you want to prohibit phone use.
2. CellSafety – Blocks text messaging when around certain geographical areas, such as schools.
3. Text Arrest – This program allows parents to disable their child’s ability to make calls, send or receive texts and browse the web while driving.
4. Key 2 Safe Driving – This program disables the owner’s phone while driving.
To see a link to these alternatives click here.
The level of danger presented by texting while driving has been compared to driving while intoxicated. This form of distracted driving is very serious and has proved to be deadly, it has also been called an “epidemic” by federal officials. Parents need to stress the dangers of cell phone use while driving to their children, or use one of the alternative listed above.