It is by no means a controversial statement in 2017 to say that texting and driving is dangerous, foolish behavior. There is no shortage of statistical data to confirm this common sense truth, but texting-related car accidents happen every day. The truth is that drivers who look at their phone behind the wheel endanger not only themselves but other drivers as well.
Now, New York police are considering employing a new tool to determine whether a driver in a collision was using their phone near the time of the accident. The device, referred to as a “textalyzer” plugs into a phone and gathers simple data to identify how recently the phone was in use. If law enforcement does choose to move forward with using this tool, it could help create much safer driving conditions by curbing phone usage by drivers.
This new technology presents some interesting implications. On one hand, the new data could prove very valuable in establishing a driver’s liability or innocence in a collision, which is exceptionally useful to anyone filing a personal injury claim after an accident. However, the scope of the data collection has drawn criticism from civil liberties groups and privacy advocates for creating unnecessary overreach of authority. These groups point to existing laws that allow law enforcement to seek out similar data.
If you recently experienced a car accident and suffered an injury, you deserve to explore your options for fair compensation — whether a phone was a factor in the collision or not. An experienced attorney can guide you as you examine the details of your accident and identify strong strategies for pursuing fair compensation for your injuries and other losses.
Source: ABC 7 New York, “New York eyes 'textalyzer' to bust drivers using phones,” David Klepper, July 26, 2017
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