Woman fined for distracted driving after police claim she used phone with right hand
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Palm Beach, FL - A traffic citation issued to a woman who said she was accused of holding a phone in a hand she does not have has been dismissed.
Court records show the citation was dismissed at the request of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputy who issued it. A court hearing had been scheduled for Tuesday, but was canceled after the case was dropped.
The citation, issued Feb. 11 along North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach, accused the driver of violating Florida’s wireless communications while driving law. The case drew widespread attention after the woman posted video of the traffic stop on TikTok, where she questioned the deputy’s claim that he saw a device in her “right hand.” She said she does not have a right hand.
A Lake Worth Beach traffic stop is gaining attention online after a woman was cited for using a wireless communications device while driving, but video of the encounter is now sparking debate over how Florida’s distracted driving law is enforced.
The citation, issued by a deputy with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office on February 11 around 8:04 a.m. along North Dixie Highway, lists the charge as “Wireless Comm. Device/Handheld While Driving – First Offense” under Florida Statute 316.305(3)(a), with a civil penalty of $116.
In a video posted to TikTok that has since gone viral, the driver records the stop and questions the deputy’s observation. The citation indicates the deputy observed a handheld device while she was traveling northbound on North Dixie Highway.
During the stop, the deputy is heard stating he saw the device in her “right hand.” The woman says she does not have a right hand.