New York Injury Talk Blog

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that drivers who used their cell phones while driving were four times more likely to cause a crash that sent at least one person to the hospital than drivers who did not use cell phones while driving.

The study followed 456 drivers ages 17 or older in West Perth, Australia who had also been to the hospital emergency room for treatment following a car crash. The researchers interviewed each of the crash victims and also looked at their cell phone records, examining when and how often these drivers had used their cell phones in the weeks leading up to the crash that injured them.

After analyzing the data, researchers concluded that the risk of having a crash while distracted by cell phone use increased fourfold over the risk of having a crash while not on a cell phone. The increase in the risk did not change when the driver was using a hands-free device. The researchers also found that, at any given time of day, approximately five percent of drivers were using cell phones, but that they caused considerably more than five percent of the accidents that sent at least one person to the hospital.

Distracted driving takes a driver’s eyes and mind off the road and his hands off the wheel, which increases the chance that the driver will not see or respond to a hazard in time to prevent a crash. At Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, our experienced New York car accident attorneys are dedicated to helping injured people get the compensation they need after a crash. If you or someone you love has been injured, call us today at (212) 222-4336 for a free consultation.

Law enforcement officials across the country are handing out an increasing amount of citations for texting while driving.

Nine states made the specific form of distracted driving a primary offense in 2010, while four others followed suit during this year. In total, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) cites that 31 of 34 states with laws prohibiting texting and driving have made the violation a primary offense. In states where texting is a primary offense, police and highway officers are permitted to pull over drivers for that specific violation alone (a secondary offense requires that officers possess a more pressing reason for pulling an individual over).

Since New York stepped up its punishment for texting behind the wheel in 2009, according to reporting by USA Today, the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (NY DMV) calculated it has given out 4,634 citations this year through the middle of September, surpassing the 3,248 violations in 2010 in its entirety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released data this summer that showed there was less texting while driving in Syracuse, New York due to heightened awareness and enforcement during the previous year.

One spokesperson for the NY DMV noted that before primary seat belt laws became effective, not many individuals buckled up; while now, after the law has had time to enact change, seat belt compliance is more than 90 percent. Hopefully one day soon we will see the same kind of change from the primary texting laws. Have you or a loved one been injured in a car accident resulting from a distracted driver’s negligence? If so, contact the Manhattan auto accident lawyers with Wingate, Rusotti & Shapiro. Call (212)986-7353 for a complimentary case consultation today.