The federal government calls texting a “dangerous epidemic” on our nation’s roads. And when a truck-driver is the one distracted, the danger is especially great. Recently, the state of New York enacted a law to reduce texting behind the wheel by truckers and help prevent fatal truck crashes.
The law prohibits truck drivers from texting even when they are stopped at a traffic light or stuck in traffic. According to the Democrat & Chronicle, the law, which was was passed by the state legislature earlier this year, is similar to a 2011 rule of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Karin White of the Motor Truck Association says the state law brings New York in alignment with the federal rules, which have been in effect since 2012.
What the New Law Says
Truck drivers are not allowed to use a handheld mobile device while behind the wheel. The rule applies to phones, tablets, and similar gadgets. It also goes so far as to ban their use at stop lights, in traffic jams, or other times when the vehicle is stopped.
The law specifies that a driver is deemed to be “using” the gadget when the driver presses more than a single button to dial or answer.
Violations of the new law will lead to fines and possibly a mandatory license suspension.
These changes accompany a trend toward more severe penalties for all drivers who text behind the wheel. In 2011, texting while driving became a primary offense, meaning officers could pull over drivers suspected of texting. Also, in July Gov. Cuomo signed a law increasing the number of points applied to a license for texting, from three to five.
Why Law Was Needed
Distracted driving is deadly driving, and when you are behind the wheel of a several-thousand pound vehicle, the risk of a fatal accident rises substantially.
Recently, a trucker in Arizona crashed into two fire trucks and three police cars, killing one officer, according to news reports. The driver denied being distracted, but a search of his phone records revealed he was looking at photos on Facebook just before the accident occurred.
Texting increases your risk of a crash by 23 times. And sending or receiving text messages takes your eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, according to research from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute .This is the equivalent of traveling the entire length of a football field at 55 mph.
After making texting while driving a primary offense, the state of New York saw a dramatic surge in tickets for texting. This year, through mid-October, there have been more than 43,000 tickets doled out for texting. That’s compared with 30,000 in all of 2012.
Texting while driving is a national epidemic and it’s killing thousands. While a measure similar to this one was proposed for drivers of all vehicles in the state, it didn’t gain any ground in the Legislature. Until all New York drivers put their phones down, we will continue to see tragedies blamed on technology.
New York and New Jersey Accident Attorneys
If you or a loved one has been injured in a traffic crash, contact the New York and New Jersey injury accident attorneys at Ginarte Law Firm. Call us at 888-GINARTE now.