Gov. Crist Urges Florida Lawmakers to Ban Texting While Driving

November 19, 2009

Gov. Charlie Crist has urged Florida lawmakers to ban texting while driving.

Crist this week asked Julie Jones, executive director of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, to include such a measure in her agency's annual list of proposals to the Legislature.

Jones told Crist at a Cabinet meeting that she supports the concept. But she said she's been waiting to weigh in until legislators begin sorting through 13 different bills already filed that would ban texting or cell phone use or both while driving.

Crist said the "obvious danger'' of trying to send text messages while driving makes it "absurd.''