Warning New York Cracks Down On Texting and Driving

Author: Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP Recently, Governor Cuomo announced the state would be cracking down on New Yorkers driving and texting.  The new regulations have increased the penalty from three to five points off your driver’s license if you are caught and ticketed. But the governor didn’t stop there.  He is proposing new legislation that would impose harsher penalties (especially for younger drivers) for texting and driving, including: The same penalties that junior and probationary drivers receive for speeding and reckless driving; 60-day suspensions for first convictions; revocations of 60 days (for junior licenses) or six months (for probationary licenses) for subsequent convictions within six months of the time a license is restored after suspension.

Texting and driving—the statistics

Even though it is well known that texting and driving is dangerous, people continue to do it.  In fact, according to Textinganddrivingsafety.com  the statistics don’t lie and they reveal that texting while driving:

• Causes 1,600,000 accidents per year
• Results in 330,000 injuries per year
• Causes 11 teen deaths every day
• Is responsible for almost 25% of all car accidents
• Is six times more likely to cause an accident than drunk driving
• Is equivalent to driving after four beers
• Is the number one driving distraction reported by teen drivers
• Makes you 23 times more likely to crash
• Is comparable to driving blind for 5 seconds at a time
• Slows brake reaction speed by 18 percent

If you are a victim of a texting driver you need a dedicated personal injury lawyer

The statistics do not lie—texting and driving have become a major factor in auto accidents and fatalities in New York and throughout the country.  If you were injured by a dangerous driver who was texting, you need to seek legal advice immediately.  Contact us online or call our Suffolk County law firm at (631) 451-7900 or toll free at (888) 545-2993 to arrange a free consultation today.