Man causes accident in Florida due to sexting while driving

Previous posts have discussed many of the ways that a car accident can occur. For example, some car accidents are caused by drunk drivers. Other accidents result because of weather conditions: icy roads, heavy fog, and severe rain.

But recently, another cause of car accidents has become a concern for lawmakers and the public alike: distracted driving. This can occur whenever the driver is distracted by something, but often refers to drivers who are distracted by their phones. So what do you get when you combine driving with the need to text?

For one man, that combination resulted in a traffic accident and a DUI charge. Local Florida law enforcement was informed of an accident that occurred outside of Tampa, Florida. The details of what happened next are not available. But it appears that the deputy managed to locate the man involved in the minor crash.

The man first told the deputy that another driver had not been paying attention and cut him off on the road. But then the man admitted to texting while driving. He had apparently been sexting his girlfriend while he was driving. The deputy administered a field test after noticing that the man exhibited signs of intoxication. The man failed the test and was arrested.

The article describes the accident as minor, especially since it doesn’t seem like anyone was critically injured. But distracted driving can cause serious accidents, even fatal accidents. When drivers aren’t paying attention, it only takes a few seconds for the driver to lose control and crash into something or someone.

Any motor vehicle accident can affect a person’s life. Whether there is a physical injury or a financial loss, the consequences can be great for all involved.

Source: The Palm Beach Post online, “‘Sexting’ caused crash, Tampa man tells deputies,” The Associated Press, 22 March 2011