Cell Phone - Texting

Any handheld device used or capable of being used in a handheld manner, that is designed or intended to receive or transmit text or character-based messages, access or store data, or connect to the Internet or any communications service as defined in s. 812.15 and that allows text communications.

If Texas were to pass a bill that would ban texting while driving, Texas would join 39 other states and the District of Columbia in banning texting and driving for all drivers, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. 

In Florida, officials may not approve of the nature of the beast, but they cannot pull a driver over for speaking on their cell phone while driving. Driving and talking on a cell phone is perfectly legal in Florida.

In order to fight the texting and driving epidemic, one state (New York) is looking to use an innovative new way by using a “textalyzer” device on cellphones.

This is because every call or text is logged into your phone record. If someone has a hunch that cell phone usage was a contributor to the car accident, those records can be subpoenaed.

Texting and driving is not illegal in Texas in most situations unless you’re in a certain city; there are about 40 cities in Texas where it’s illegal to text and drive – Corpus Christi is one of them so you can’t text and drive here. But there are exceptions...

In addition to being illegal, using a smartphone while driving places a great deal of liability on the shoulders of the driver should a car accident occur. The trouble is figuring out if cellphone use was actually happening right at the moment of collision. Learn more here about Texas distracted driving laws and liability after an accident.