“Texting while driving is illegal and endangers the lives of New Yorkers across the state,” said Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.
Both texting and talking on a hand-held cell phone may be illegal while driving in the state, but we’re still seeing far too many New York car accidents as a result of distracted drivers.
From just July of 2011 to February of 2012, officers with the New York State Police wrote nearly 7,500 tickets to drivers throughout the state for texting while driving. Another 11,260 tickets were issued to drivers in New York who were busted using hand-held electronics behind the wheel.
It’s apparent that distracted driving remains a danger on our roads! Laws are there and drivers just aren’t listening.
For that reason, every April is dedicated as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. With this year’s campaign, we are urging drivers of all ages throughout the state of New York to drive by the spirit of the law and to take the pledge to drive distraction free.
The pledge is nationally organized through the National Safety Council and our New York car accident attorneys urge you to join! Drivers from across the country will be participating. The journey to safer roadways and fewer distracted driving car accidents starts here and it starts with you. Take the first step and take the pledge.
Take the NSC’s Pledge Help Make Our Roadways Safer:
-Pledge to keep all cell phones, text messaging devices and other electronic devices out of the driver’s seat.
-Pledge to speak up if you’re riding with a driver who is engaging in distractions.
-Pledge to spread the word. Talk with friends and family members about the dangers and the risks that are associated with distracted driving. Your talk may be able to help keep them safe on our roadways.
According to the National Safety Council, about 25 percent of all car accidents involve a driver who is using a cell phone during the collision. These drivers and these kinds of accidents took the lives of roughly 3,000 people in 2010. Every single one of these accidents and these fatalities were completely preventable, if drivers were to just pay more attention to the task at hand — driving. Phone conversations and text message can wait!
The problem is that many drivers think that they’re skilled enough to juggle both tasks — talking on a cell phone and driving safely. The truth of the matter is that a number of studies have proven that the human brain can’t do both safely. As a matter of fact, brain function is reduced by nearly 50 percent when someone tries to do both at the same time.
Help make our roadways safer and pledge to put away the phones and electronics just while you’re driving.
The Law Offices of Nicholas Rose, PLLC is dedicated to helping accident victims and the family of accident victims to recover from car accidents in New York City, on Long Island and throughout the Manhattan area. If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a car accident, call 1-877-313-7673 to set up a free consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer.
More Blog Entries:
Distraction-Related Car Accidents in New York City – Teen at High Risks, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, March 25, 2012
