Collier County commissioners are asking the Florida Legislature to require drivers to use hands-free devices, in order to make roads safer and join 31 other states with similar laws.

Commissioners voted unanimously to pass a resolution authored by Commission Chair Chris Hall, who said it’s local government’s responsibility to “advocate for the safety and well-being of our community.” The resolution will be sent to the Legislature.

Citing national research, the study says distracted driving causes thousands of injuries and fatalities yearly nationwide; that phone use increases the risk of crashing by a factor of 23; and it’s six times more dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol.

Hall told commissioners bicyclists and a man whose child was killed by a distracted driver urged him to act. “I just wanted to send a message to the state … to do the right thing and make some good regulations to keep our streets and highways safer,” Hall added.

Since July 1, 2019, Florida has had a hands-free driving law that covers all wireless devices, including tablets, laptops and electronic games, and also prohibits their use in school crossings and construction zones. But it allows drivers to make or receive phone calls on handheld and hands-free phones and use hands-free texting and voice playback. Emergency vehicle operators on official duties are exempt.

The resolution says Collier has seen an increase in distracted driving, and a study by Cambridge Mobile Telematics reported a 17.8% increase in screen interaction time while driving from 2020 to 2023.

Commissioner Dan Kowal, who retired from the county Sheriff’s Office, said the resolution will “strengthen a statute that’s already on the books to make it more enforceable to the point where we’ll make it safer for our public.”

This story was published in The Naples Press on Dec. 6.