What might have remained a minor infraction quickly turned into a broader debate about enforcement standards and the wording of Florida law. The case, relayed by U.S. media, centers on both a factual impossibility and the precise requirements of Florida Statute 316.305.
In Florida, distracted driving enforcement is framed as a public safety priority. Authorities regularly cite tens of thousands of crashes and several hundred fatalities each year linked to driver distraction. Within that context, officers are tasked with identifying violations tied specifically to texting or reading messages while a vehicle is in motion.
The Traffic Stop on North Dixie Highway
The incident occurred on North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach and involved a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. The driver received a citation for $116 for a first offense described as “Wireless communications device/handheld while driving,” under Florida Statute 316.305(3)(a), according to Auto Journal.
The deputy stated that he observed the driver holding her phone in her right hand while operating the vehicle. That observation formed the sole basis for the citation.
In a TikTok video later shared and relayed by Carscoops, the driver asked the deputy to confirm his statement. “You said you saw me holding it in my right hand, correct?” she is heard asking. After the deputy agreed, she raised her right arm, revealing that she has no hand below the elbow. In the caption of the now-removed video, she wrote: “Turns out you can still get a ticket for driving with a device in your right hand, even if you don’t have a right hand.” The clip accumulated millions of views before being taken down, though it continued circulating on other platforms.
What Florida Statute 316.305 actually says
Beyond the striking detail revealed in the video, the case has drawn attention to the wording of the law itself.
Florida Statute 316.305 prohibits drivers from manually typing or entering letters, numbers, or symbols into a wireless communication device, or from reading non-voice communications such as text messages or emails while the vehicle is in motion. The statute does not simply equate holding a phone with committing an offense; it requires the act of typing, entering, or reading non-voice data.
According to CBS 12 News, the citation issued to the driver refers only to the act of “holding” a wireless device. It does not specify texting, typing, or reading a message. That detail has become central to the dispute, as the document focuses on possession rather than manual data entry. The driver intends to contest the citation in court. The outcome will determine whether the charge stands under the specific language of Florida’s texting-while-driving statute.
A Viral Case Amid Broader Safety Concerns
Florida authorities regularly emphasize that distracted driving remains a serious safety issue. The state records tens of thousands of crashes and several hundred fatalities each year related to driver distraction.
Yet this episode illustrates the tension that can arise between legislative intent and on-the-ground enforcement. Even setting aside the driver’s physical condition, the wording of the citation has become a focal point, since the statute requires evidence of manual input or reading of non-voice communication. The courts will now determine how the law applies in this specific case.
