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High School Students Learn About Serious Dangers of Texting While Driving

School officials sent a new message to high school students last week before they went off to the prom: texting while driving can be just as dangerous as drinking and driving. Local law enforcement and schools partnered with the Miami Beach Coalition for a Drug-Free Community and presented the award-winning “You Only Live Once” Anti-DUI program Friday in the parking lot of the Miami Beach Convention Center. Miami Beach and Hialeah high school students watched on as teenagers acted out a story involving a group of friends whose lives were changed after one drunk student crashed his automobile, killing his girlfriend and injuring others.

Local firefighters joined in the story when they extracted the victims from the destroyed vehicles. Miami Beach police also joined in when they performed a mock roadside test on the driver of the car. While the story has been acted out for teenagers across the country for sixteen years, this is the first year local officials framed a new message around the dangers of texting while driving. Fans were distributed to students that said on one side “I’m a fan of not driving distractedly, STOP TEXTING.” The other side of the fan warned students not to drink and drive because “YOLO,” which is an acronym for “you only live once.”

Michael Grieco, a Miami criminal defense attorney and former county prosecutor, spoke during the assembly, warning students that it only takes a small amount to be considered impaired. He said it only takes one drink or one text to cause impairment. Last week before the assembly, Governor Rick Scott signed a bill banning texting and emailing while driving in Florida. The bill makes texting or emailing a secondary offense, meaning an officer can only ticket a driver for texting or emailing if they are pulled over for another primary offense. A driver ticketed for violating the law would be fined $30. Many criticize the new law as not being tough enough.

School assembly highlights danger of texting while driving, www.miamiherald.com May 31, 2013


Distracted driving is among the leading causes of serious injury and fatal car accidents. This is especially true for young adults. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, automobile crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers and teenagers are three times as likely to be involved in a fatal crash. Although the number of car accidents resulting in fatalities dropped by approximately two percent in 2010, the number of car crashes involving teenage fatalities increased by seven percent during the same time period. Many families lose young children each year because of texting while driving and other forms of distracted driving. The Coral Gables car accident attorneys have dedicated their careers to helping victims and their families recover after tragic automobile accidents. If you have been injured because of another driver’s negligence, the Fort Lauderdale insurance litigation attorneys can help you recover compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering, and lost wages. Call (305) 661-2008 to have a free consultation with a Miami Beach motor vehicle accident attorney today!

The Miami personal injury attorneys at the Friedland | Carmona handle all types car accident cases throughout the state of Florida, including Boca Raton, Homestead, North Miami, South Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Pembroke Pines, Hialeah, Kendall, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. The Friedland | Carmona handles all types of personal injury claims, including wrongful death, defective products, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents and construction site injuries. Call today and let our family take care of your family!

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