Florida Curriculum Update for 2019

Recognizing that texting behind the wheel presents a serious safety hazard, Florida has enhanced its texting-while-driving ban, effective July 1, 2019.

In order to ensure that traffic safety students are getting the latest and most accurate information—and staying safe behind the wheel—Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., has updated its Internet-based programs to account for this change. Further, inserts for the booklet and video/DVD modalities are provided via links below; please include a copy of this insert sheet with each product that you ship, in addition to any other applicable inserts. Classroom instructors, meanwhile, should familiarize themselves with the new law and include this revised material when presenting similar information during class. (Flipcharts/slide presentations, workbooks, and all testing materials remain unchanged.)

The Details of the New Law

Florida's texting-while-driving ban is as follows:

It is against the law to operate a motor vehicle while manually typing or entering multiple letters, numbers, symbols, or other characters into a wireless communications device, or while sending or reading non-voice communications (text, email, instant message, etc.). Further, a person may never use any wireless communications device in a handheld manner while operating a motor vehicle in a designated school crossing, school zone, or work zone area. These prohibitions do not apply to communications with law enforcement/emergency services or to emergency/weather/traffic alerts, or to a device used for vehicle operation, navigation, or radio broadcasts. This is a primary enforcement infraction, and conviction for a first offense is a non-moving traffic violation with base fine of $30 (plus local fees). A second conviction within five years is treated as a moving violation with base fine of $60 (plus local fees) and three points on the license.
(Florida Statues 316.305, 316.306)

(Note: Effective July 1, 2019, enforcement of the existing texting-while-driving ban is changed from a secondary offense to a primary offense; effective October 1, 2019, drivers are prohibited from using a handheld wireless communications device while driving in a designated school crossing, school zone, or work zone area. From October 1 to December 31, 2019, law enforcement officers may provide a verbal or written warning and beginning January 1, 2019, may issue a uniform traffic citation for a violation.)

Curriculum Materials

Please click on the links below to access the files you need. You may read/print them online or download them to you local computer for easy access whenever you need them.

• BDI insert - English
• BDI insert - Spanish
• Classroom Lesson Plan materials
• TLSAE: Incorporate this new material under the section "Dangerous Distractions" in "Chapter 5: Florida Traffic Laws" (under the header "Inside-the-Vehicle Distractions").
• BDI: Incorporate this new material at the end of the section "Distracted Drivers Have a Bad Attitude" in "Unit 4: Driver Psychology" (under the header "Cell Phones: Dial 'C' for Collision!").
• ADI: Incorporate this new material in the section "Distractions, Distractions" in Unit 4.

Remember that these revisions are applicable to all modalities of these programs.

Please make sure that you ship the latest home study inserts and discuss this material in class, as you will be responsible for teaching this new material to students!