CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – A Tallahassee father is on a mission to make Florida’s roads safer after losing his son a little over a decade ago.
Demetrius Branca lost his son, Anthony, when a distracted driver hit him as he was riding his motorcycle to classes at Tallahassee State College.
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Now, he conducts the “Driving Change for Safer Streets” tour, which involves a visit to all 67 of Florida’s counties to urge officials to pass laws banning cell phone use while driving.
“We have to be aware of what is the primary form of death among our kids, and right now that’s traffic fatalities,” Branca said. “The number one killer of Americans under 25 is traffic deaths.”
Branca stopped in Clay County on Monday to speak with county commissioners about passing a “Hands-Free Law” that would require drivers to put their phones down while they’re behind the wheel.
“I helped to pass the current law, which makes texting and driving a primary offense in the state of Florida,” he added. “And I have been a part of multiple failed attempts to get stricter laws passed through the state legislature.
Branca’s goal is to speak to as many elected officials in the state to reduce the number of crashes caused by distracted driving, but he feels as if the texting and driving law has made no impact.
“One Sheriff from Central Florida called it as useful as memories on a boar hog, and that’s about what it is,” Branca explained. “It’s unenforceable. Law enforcement can’t use it to stop people from driving in a dangerous way.”
However, he has more confidence in the Hands-Free laws, relaying that the current laws don’t fully encompass everything that can be done with a phone while driving.
“[The current law] means that you can’t use your phone to input text, but it doesn’t say anything about all the other things we use our phones for,” he said.
According to Cambridge Mobile Telematics, drivers using their phones are 240% more likely to crash compared to those who keep their eyes on the road.
Following Monday’s stop in Clay County, Branca’s next one will take place in Tampa.