TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A Tallahassee man is calling on local government to pressure lawmakers to change Florida’s distracted driving laws after the death of his son in 2014.

Demetrius Branca said his son Anthony Branca died after a distracted cable company driver rear-ended him.

Demetrius Branca thought the driver would end up in prison.

However, Demetrius Blanca learned that Florida Distracted Driving Laws are lax compared to other states’ laws.

“He had his license suspended for six months and paid a $1,000 fine,” the father explained. “Because in the state of Florida, driving like a suicide bomber is reckless driving. So this is just a moving violation.

The father spent a decade urging the Legislature to make Florida’s laws stricter. Lawmakers didn’t listen, he said.

Now he’s taking to the field, speaking to local governments, including the Tallahassee City Commission.

The problem expressed by advocates is that Florida law covers texting and driving, but does not cover actions such as watching a YouTube video or shopping online.

Advocates say the narrow law allows distracted drivers to stay on the roads legally.

Demetrius Branca said his proposals had been adopted several times by the House.

However, his proposals often get stuck in the Senate, according to him. Demetrius Branca said senators told him privately they didn’t want police to have another reason to stop drivers.

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