Mark Merwitzer, 18, a Palmetto Bay resident and Miami-Dade County Public Schools senior, conducted a press conference on Mar. 7 at the Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus downtown. Since he was 16 years old, Merwitzer has been advocating for a bill to make texting while driving a primary offense.
The Florida House voted 112-2 on Mar. 1 to pass this year’s version of House Bill 33 to make texting while driving a primary offense, but the bill suddenly met opposition in the Senate with just two high-ranking state senators opposing.
Merwitzer was joined by Palmetto Bay Mayor Eugene Flinn and Councilmember Karyn Cunningham, as well as other speakers and his classmates to address the issue of teen road safety and the lack of an adequate texting while driving law.
“Senate Bill 90 and House Bill 33 will save countless young lives and make our roads safer for all Floridians,” Merwitzer said. “It is imperative that the senate hears the measure before the end of session. Young lives depend on it. How can we have a serious discussion about protecting children in schools if we cannot even protect them on our roads?”
Although House Bill 33 contains provisions to guarantee a citizen’s right to decline a phone search, and measures to combat racial profiling, State Sen. Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island) announced that he is concerned about violating driver privacy, as well as racial profiling from law enforcement. Sen. Bradley’s concerns have led him to block the measure, even though his concerns have been successfully addressed
Nationwide, six teenagers ages 16-19, die every day from motor vehicle injuries. Texting while driving is the No. 1 cause of death for teen drivers.
Mayor Flinn expressed admiration for Merwitzer and his fellow students and offered support.
“I want to thank and praise our youth for taking grassroots action like this,” Flinn said. “This can’t be done here. It has to be done in
Tallahassee. Forty six states have banned texting while driving. We’re here today to ask everyone to get engaged in this.”
Councilmember Cunningham also lauded Merwitzer’s efforts.
“We are super proud of Mark’s initiative,” Cunningham said. “He’s really taken charge of this. He saw a problem and took action to solve it.”
She urged people to contact the Senate President Joe Negron and ask him to bring the bill to the floor of the senate.
Debby Wanninkhof, whose child was the victim of a texting accident, was there to plead for bill passage.
“I am a mother who grieves every day because my son Patrick was killed by a distracted driver,” Wanninkhof said. “Florida is one of only four states that have no law against texting while driving. The people have spoken through their representatives in the house. Now the senate needs to take action on this as well.”
Delpha Samuels, Mrs. Miami International, also addressed those attending the press conference.
“I am fighting for this bill because I do not want to see anyone needlessly killed because of distracted driving,” Samuels said. “I find Sen. Bradley’s reasons for opposing the bill to be without merit.”
Merwitzer asks that Sen. Negron withdraw the bill from committee so that it can pass.
“The time is now to teach young drivers how to properly and safely use technology behind the wheel, which is not using it at all,” Merwitzer said.
