The number of drivers in New York City who received tickets for texting dramatically increased in 2014.
In New York, drivers are not allowed to use a handheld electronic device or text while operating a vehicle, states Distraction.gov. However, many drivers ignore these laws and continue to become distracted while texting.
According to the New York Daily News, in 2014, the number of tickets given to texting drivers in New York City rose significantly compared with 2013. During 2014, 47,914 texting tickets were issued to drivers in the city while only 31,835 of these tickets were given out in 2013. Statewide, from 2013 to 2014, the number of texting and driving tickets given out increased by 35 percent. The dramatic increase in the number of tickets issued for texting can be traced back to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s enhanced enforcement of distracted driving laws.
Other forms of distraction still exist
Although more and more drivers in New York are being ticketed for texting and driving, this increased focus on texting drivers fails to account for the countless other forms of distraction driving that exist. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, distracted driving is defined as any activity that takes a driver’s full attention away from the road. For example, a driver can endanger the lives of others when he or she:
- Interacts with other people in the car
- Tries to change the station on the radio
- Attempts to eat or drink while his or her vehicle is in motion
- Performs personal grooming activities, like putting on makeup or shaving, behind the wheel
However, texting and driving is still one of the most dangerous forms of driver distraction. This is because, according to the CDC, drivers who text are cognitively, visually and manually distracted. Additionally, research produced by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute revealed that when drivers text, they become 23 times more likely to cause a car accident.
Many are injured or killed every day
Drivers who choose to text behind the wheel often cause accidents that result in fatalities or catastrophic personal injuries for those involved. The CDC states that every day in the U.S., more than 1,153 people are injured and more than nine people die in motor vehicle collisions involving distraction.
Drivers in New York who are involved in a distracted driving crash may suffer from injuries that require extensive medical and rehabilitative care. If you were injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, turn to an attorney to find out what you can do to assert your rights to fair and proper compensation.
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