Distracted driving is a dangerous habit that regularly causes injuries and fatalities on the road. It usually shows up as talking to passengers, texting on your phone, or messing with the dashboard—behaviors that take your attention off the road.
According to data by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), this behavior can be fatal, causing around 315,167 injuries and 3,208 deaths in 2024.
With these statistics, it’s easy to see why many officers routinely issue citations for distractions related to phone usage.
Drivers often contest these citations. One disabled driver, however, has a particularly strong reason to do so.
In her video, which went viral on TikTok with over 39.5 million views, creator Katie (@slightlyoff.balance) filmed the interaction she had with traffic police.
How Did The Traffic Police Get It Wrong?
“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,” she says in the clip.
The video then cuts to footage of the interaction itself.
“All right, ma’am,” the officer can be heard saying. “So you’re gonna receive a citation for a wireless communication device, handheld while driving.”
He continues, explaining the reasoning. “We gotta put the phone down as we operate a motor vehicle.”
She asks for clarification. “Oh, and you put on the [ticket] that you saw me with my right hand holding it?”
“Yeah,” he says.
“But that’s what you said when you pulled me over,” she continues.
“Yes,” the officer responds.
“That you saw me holding my device with my right hand?” she reiterates.
“Yes, that’s what I said,” the officer states.
He instructs her to take the matter to court if she’d like to contest it.
“I’m gonna take it to court,” she responds.
“Have any questions for me?” he asks.
“No, thank you,” she says. “Have a good day.”
According to local media, the traffic stop took place in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, where the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office 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.
Commenters Find Humor In The Situation
“She won’t even need a lawyer,” one joked. “She can handle this situation single-handedly.”
“Im a court reporter and I dont know if I could keep a straight face for this one,” another wrote.
“That cop is 100% not showing up to court,” a third added.
Was The Traffic Stop Justified?
Beyond the fact that the driver couldn’t have been holding a phone with her right hand, there may be other issues with the stop.
According to the 2025 Florida Statutes, a person isn’t allowed to manually type or enter letters, numbers, symbols, or other characters into a device while driving.
Some exceptions include using a phone to report an emergency or criminal activity, receive safety-related information, and more.
Most importantly, this means that simply holding a phone may not be enough to justify a traffic stop if the driver is not actively using it.
@slightlyoff.balance Low key thought I had two hands for a minute 🤦🏻♀️ #palmbeach #cops #PBSO #floridaman #pulledover
BroBible reached out to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office via email and Katie via Instagram and TikTok messages for comment and more information.