A Florida father has been on a mission to end distracted driving since he lost his 19-year-old son more than a decade ago.During the upcoming regular session in Tallahassee, Demetrius Branca will urge lawmakers to pass a bill making it illegal to hold your phone or have it in your lap while behind the wheel.Branca’s son, Anthony, was killed in November 2014 by a distracted driver. Now, he is advocating for a new Florida law to prohibit drivers from holding their phones.Branca recalled his last words to his son, “I knew he was getting on his motorcycle, and I was like, man, just please be safe, and I love you, and I’m thankful that that’s the last words I said to him.”Branca described his son as his “best friend in the world” and has been campaigning to end distracted driving in Florida for the past decade. His family’s efforts contributed to the 2019 passage of a law making texting and driving a primary offense. However, Branca believes the current law is “worthless and unenforceable,” citing widespread distractions like watching videos and using social media while driving.Ahead of the 2026 regular session in Tallahassee, a state senator from Vero Beach has re-filed a bill to prohibit Florida drivers from holding their phones or resting them on their laps. Branca noted, “We have seen in other states that have passed this kind of law an immediate and measurable reduction in traffic fatalities overall.”Under the proposed law, a first violation would result in a $150 fine, a second offense would incur a $250 fine, and a third violation would lead to a $500 fine and a 90-day license suspension. Branca emphasized, “You can’t hold your phone. Put it in a cradle, put it in the trunk, put it in the back seat, put it wherever you want. Just don’t hold it. Don’t keep it on your lap. That’s it. That’s it. It’s very simple, very easy to enforce.”Branca is urging Floridians to contact their lawmakers, hoping this will be the year Florida becomes a “hands-free” state. “Tell them this is critical that we need to save lives and protect the lives of our children,” he said.Last year, the Florida House passed a similar bill making it illegal for drivers to hold their phones, but it never came up for a vote in the Senate. The legislative session begins next Tuesday.

FLORIDA, USA —

A Florida father has been on a mission to end distracted driving since he lost his 19-year-old son more than a decade ago.

During the upcoming regular session in Tallahassee, Demetrius Branca will urge lawmakers to pass a bill making it illegal to hold your phone or have it in your lap while behind the wheel.

Branca’s son, Anthony, was killed in November 2014 by a distracted driver. Now, he is advocating for a new Florida law to prohibit drivers from holding their phones.

Branca recalled his last words to his son, “I knew he was getting on his motorcycle, and I was like, man, just please be safe, and I love you, and I’m thankful that that’s the last words I said to him.”

Branca described his son as his “best friend in the world” and has been campaigning to end distracted driving in Florida for the past decade.

His family’s efforts contributed to the 2019 passage of a law making texting and driving a primary offense.

However, Branca believes the current law is “worthless and unenforceable,” citing widespread distractions like watching videos and using social media while driving.

Ahead of the 2026 regular session in Tallahassee, a state senator from Vero Beach has re-filed a bill to prohibit Florida drivers from holding their phones or resting them on their laps.

Branca noted, “We have seen in other states that have passed this kind of law an immediate and measurable reduction in traffic fatalities overall.”

Under the proposed law, a first violation would result in a $150 fine, a second offense would incur a $250 fine, and a third violation would lead to a $500 fine and a 90-day license suspension.

Branca emphasized, “You can’t hold your phone. Put it in a cradle, put it in the trunk, put it in the back seat, put it wherever you want. Just don’t hold it. Don’t keep it on your lap. That’s it. That’s it. It’s very simple, very easy to enforce.”

Branca is urging Floridians to contact their lawmakers, hoping this will be the year Florida becomes a “hands-free” state.

“Tell them this is critical that we need to save lives and protect the lives of our children,” he said.

Last year, the Florida House passed a similar bill making it illegal for drivers to hold their phones, but it never came up for a vote in the Senate.

The legislative session begins next Tuesday.