A Lake Worth Beach, Florida woman was pulled over on February 11 and cited for using a wireless communications device while driving. According to the citation, a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputy observed the device in her "right hand" as she traveled northbound on North Dixie Highway.

There's one problem: she doesn't have a right hand.

The woman, who goes by @slightlyoff.balance on TikTok, recorded the traffic stop and posted it online, where it quickly went viral. In the video, the deputy can be heard stating he saw the phone in her right hand. She pushes back on the spot.

Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how

Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here’s what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP

Turning 50 with $0 saved for retirement? Most people don’t realize they’re actually just entering their prime earning decade. Here are 6 ways to catch up fast

The charge — "Wireless Comm. Device/Handheld While Driving – First Offense" under Florida Statute 316.305(3)(a) — carries a civil penalty of $116.

She's since requested body camera footage from PBSO and says she plans to fight the citation in court.

But the right-hand detail is almost beside the point: attorneys say the ticket likely wouldn't hold up even if she had two hands.

Under current Florida law, simply holding a phone while driving is not illegal outside of school zones and active work zones. The statute specifically targets manually typing or entering letters, numbers, or symbols into a device. Attorney Ted Hollander of the Ticket Clinic told CBS12 (1) that neither the school zone nor the construction zone box was checked on the citation.

"Whether she's holding it in her right hand or her left hand, it really doesn't matter," Hollander said to CBS12. "If you are not in a school zone or a construction zone, you are allowed to hold a cell phone."

Attorney Donahue agreed, calling the statute "really explicit" and noting that texting-while-driving citations are rare in Palm Beach County — in part because they're so difficult for officers to prove.

And then Hollander made the broader point: most people just pay.

"A lot of times people pay tickets that shouldn't be paid, and this could have been one of those examples," he said. "But luckily this lady seems to be standing up for herself."

That instinct to just pay and move on is understandable. The fine feels minor. But the damage from a distracted driving citation doesn't end when you pay it — it compounds for years.

An analysis by The Zebra, which studied millions of insurance rates, found that a distracted driving violation raises premiums by an average of 23%, or roughly $357 per year. (2) Since insurers typically hold the penalty for about three years, a single ticket can cost more than $1,071 in additional insurance alone — on top of the original fine.

Insurance.com's data tells a similar story, pegging the average increase at 28%. Their analysis found that, for example, Nationwide policyholders see their annual premiums rise from approximately $1,548 to $2,119, a 37% increase, after a texting violation. (3) For drivers already looking for ways to lower their car insurance costs, a single distracted driving ticket can wipe out years of savings in one shot.

The range by state is wide. California drivers face an average 51% premium hike after a distracted driving ticket — more than $1,235 per year. New York drivers? Just 11%.

For anyone weighing whether to contest a citation, the math is worth considering. Traffic ticket attorneys typically charge $200 to $500 for a standard case. That's a fraction of the three-year insurance hit that follows a conviction. A lawyer could try negotiate a moving violation down to a non-moving one — or get it dismissed entirely — keeping both points and the premium spike off your record. Just make sure you have a case before you do so.

Read More: The average net worth of Americans is a surprising $620,654. But it almost means nothing. Here’s the number that counts (and how to make it skyrocket)

This case landed at a weird moment for Florida. Distracted driving is a serious and growing problem in the state, but the law on the books is narrower than most people — including, apparently, some officers — realize.

A crash occurs every 44 seconds in Florida, and one in seven involve a distracted driver. Preliminary data for 2024 shows that nearly 300 people died and over 2,200 suffered serious bodily injuries due to distracted driving in the state. (4) Nationally, the toll is even starker: 3,275 people were killed in distracted-driving crashes in 2023, with an estimated 324,819 injured. (5) NHTSA estimated in 2019 that the economic cost of those crashes at $98 billion annually. When quality-of-life losses are factored in, that figure rises to $395 billion. (6)

Florida's current distracted driving fine structure is among the more lenient in the country. A first texting offense carries a $30 base fine — a non-moving violation with no license points. A second offense within five years bumps to $60 with three points. Court costs and fees push the actual total higher (which is how the woman in this case was charged $116), but compared to states like Oregon, where first offenses can reach $1,000, Florida's penalties are light.

That may be changing. In the 2025 legislative session, SB 1318 — the "Florida Hands-Free Driving Law" — passed unanimously through multiple Senate committees. It would have banned all handheld device use while driving statewide, not just in school and work zones. But the bill died when its House companion failed to advance. (7) More than 30 states already have similar laws on the books, and advocates expect Florida legislators to revive the effort.

The attorneys in the CBS12 story offered a consistent message: understand what the law in your state actually says, and don't assume a ticket is airtight just because it was issued.

In Florida, the current statute is narrower than many drivers realize — and apparently narrower than some officers realize, too. But Donahue cautioned against taking that as a green light.

"You don't want to be in a position where you have to prove your innocence," he said. "Although the law is not that strict, you really need to treat it almost like it is."

For anyone who does get a citation, the fine on the ticket is almost always the cheapest part. Between insurance premium increases, potential license points, and the downstream effects on employment and driving records, a single distracted driving ticket can quietly run into the thousands — and undo whatever progress you've made trying to keep your car insurance costs down.

The woman in Lake Worth Beach says she's going to fight hers. Given what the attorneys say about this particular citation — and what a conviction could cost her over the next three years — it's hard to argue with that.

Robert Kiyosaki says this 1 asset will surge 400% in a year — and he begs investors not to miss its ‘explosion’

Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

Non-millionaires can now invest in this $1B private real estate fund for as little as $10. Here's how to get started in minutes

Warren Buffett used these 8 repeatable money rules to turn $9,800 into a $150B fortune. Start using them today to get rich (and stay rich)

Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywise’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.

—

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

CBS12 / WPEC (1); The Zebra (2); Insurance.com (3); FLHSMV (4); NHTSA (5); NHTSA Research Note (6); Florida Senate (7)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.