Parkland to Draft City Text Message Ordinance

Parkland is taking the next steps necessary to create and enforce a city ordinance to ban text messaging while driving. The city commissioner Jared Moskowitz instructed the Parkland city attorney to draft an ordinance for the ban.

The issue could be brought before the city as soon as Sept. 14 – less than a month away. Parkland would be the first city within Broward County to outlaw texting while driving. Drivers are extremely distracted by texting while driving, and it greatly increases the chance of an accident.

Numerous studies have been published on the subject, with one even going so far as to say that texting while driving is more dangerous than drinking and driving. Regardless of which is worse, texting while driving puts all of us at risk, and it is an easy step to take in keeping ourselves and our families safe.

Balkan & Patterson is an auto accident and personal injury law firm in Boca Raton, with offices in Hollywood in Broward County. We serve personal injury and auto accident clients throughout South Florida, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Parkland, Lighthouse Point and more. For more information, visit us online at www.balkanpatterson.com.

ommissioner Jared Moskowitz late tonight instructed the city attorney to draft an ordinance for the ban. The issue could be debated as soon as Sept. 14.

There are 17 states that ban texting while driving, including California, Maryland, New Jersey and Illinois. Efforts in the Florida Legislature have failed during the past two years but supporters said it will be introduced again in the next session.

“This seems like a no-brainer,” Moskowitz said after the meeting. “We are a young city; we have a lot of kids.”