Tougher Texting While Driving Laws Proposed in New York
Since November, in New York State, there has been a secondary law in effect banning texting while driving. What this means is that police can only enforce this law when pulling you over for some other violation. A new law will now allow police officers to pull over drivers just for texting while driving. Currently, only New York State and Washington State have similar laws where texting while driving is a secondary offense.
This comes on the heels of various reports that show texting while driving is in fact negligent driving and can lead to serious personal injury or death. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) reported that you increase your chances of being in an accident by 23 percent when you text. The number of fatalities from these crashes seems to be on the rise. It was only a few years ago that almost no one was texting and now 16 percent of all fatal accidents are caused by texting drivers.
Texting while driving carries only a small penalty. However, the costs can add up pretty quickly for the at-fault driver and the victim in terms of vehicle damage, personal injuries and fatalities caused. For example, if you are found guilty of reckless driving and there is a fatality, you can be charged with first degree vehicle manslaughter under New York law.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident due to reckless or distracted driving, call the experienced New York car crash attorneys at Wingate, Russotti and Shapiro LLP to find out more information about how you can pursue your legal rights. We always offer a free, comprehensive and confidential consultation.
Source: http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=74764
