Reso 2018-2850 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Commission SJp1NY ts� Cityof SunnyIsles Beach « Fs George Bud' Scholl,Mayor F 18070 Collins Avenue, Suite 250 Dana Goldman,Vice Mayor Isaac Aelion,Commissioner t i" _ I Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160 Jeanette Gatto,Commissioner * * (305)947-0606 City Hall Larisa Svechin,Commissioner �« * (305)949-3113 Fax .. �9 P Christopher J.Russo,City Manager y� 9)* FLOF�O Ste: (305)947-2150 Building Department (../1.'" �r �� (305)947-5107 Fax Hans Ottinot,City Attorney For sus P NIauricio Betancur,CMC,City Clerk MEMORANDUM TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Commission FROM: Larisa Svechin, Commissioner DATE: July 19, 2018 RE: Resolution Supporting Hands-Free Cellphone Legislature RECOMMENDATION: This Resolution is presented for your consideration and approval. REASONS: It is well-known that distracted driving is dangerous. Indeed, distracted driving has taken the lives of more than 3,000 Americans each year according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Distracted drivers has caused 394,000 accidents with injuries based on report prepared by the Traffic Safety Administration. To prevent deaths or injuries due to distracted driving, numerous states have imposed an outright ban on texting while driving. Additionally, some states, like Georgia and Rhode Island, have adopted laws which require drivers to use hands free cell phone devices while driving and prohibiting drivers from using their hand or other parts of their body to operate a cell phone. While the State of Florida adopted a so called ban on texting while driving in 2013, the ban is not effective because any violation of the ban is treated as a secondary offense instead of a primary offense. For example, a driver cannot be ticketed for texting while driving unless he or she commits a speeding violation or another primary offense. Representatives Emily Slosberg and Jackie Toledo of the Florida Legislature intends to propose legislation during the upcoming legislative session to require hands-free cell phone devices while operating a vehicle. As such, I am asking my colleagues on the City Commission to adopt this Resolution urging the Florida Legislature to enact hands-free cell phone legislation to prevent distracted driving. With continued grass-roots efforts, I certainly believe the Florida Legislature will tackle the issue of distracted driving.