Tougher texting-and-driving law proposed for Florida

TALLAHASSEE (WOFL FOX 35) - This time next year, texting and driving could be a primary offense.

"You don't intend to kill somebody, but that's what it can result in," says state lawmaker Emily Slosberg.

It's something she knows all too well.

"I lost my twin sister in a car crash, and I want to make sure that no one else goes through what I went through."

Now, she's fighting to make texting and driving a primary offense in Florida. As the law reads now, a police officer can't stop a driver for texting and driving. The officer has to see the driver violating a different traffic law -- like running a red light or swerving -- and then that driver can also be cited for texting.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, last year Orange County had the highest amount of distracted driving crashes in the state at over 6000, 625 of which did grave harm, and 25 of which were fatal.

Many people we spoke to say they agree that texting and driving needs to become a primary offense.

"There's a lot of accidents that happen because of distracted drivers texting on their cell phones and it should be a sufficient reason by itself for a police officer to pull somebody over."

The bill is still being drafted. If it reaches the house and senate, and passes, it would go into effect July 1st, 2018.