Earlier this month, the New York State Senate voted in favor of a law which would strengthen New York’s texting while driving ban. Presently, texting while driving is a secondary violation, meaning that in order for a ticket to be issued, the police officer must first observe the motorist commit a separate driving infraction, such as speeding or passing a traffic control device. Under the Senate version, which was promoted by Senator Fuschillo, Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, texting while driving would become a primary offense.
Distracted driving has become a major safety issue across the United States, and texting while driving is a large part of this problem, with the major increase in text messaging as a means of communication. In a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, it was found that a motorist is 23 times more likely to have an accident while text messaging. The American Automobile Association (AAA) has reported that any activity which diverts a driver’s attention from the road for more than 2 seconds can double the risk of an accident. John Corlett, the AAA Legislative Committee chair noted that “
The secondary nature of the current New York State law dilutes its deterrence value…there is overwhelming public consensus on the unique threat of text-messaging while driving…
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The Senate bill has now been sent to the New York State Assembly, which has in the past been supportive of a primary texting while driving prohibition. We will monitor the progress of this legislation and report on any major developments.
Contact the Westchester County Car Accident Lawyers online or toll free at 888-761-7633 if you or a loved one is involved in a car accident, accident with a truck, bus or motorcycle, or other type of accident for a free consultation with our experienced trial attorneys to discuss your case in detail.