A new law targeting cell phone use while driving in the state of New York, went into effect last week. NewYork personal injury lawyers are very hopeful that the new law will help reduce the numbers of people distracted by cell phones while driving, thereby minimizing the number of accidents traced to distracted driving.
The new law went into effect on Wednesday, and according to the New York Department Of Motor Vehicles, is meant to minimize the number of distracted driving accidents here. Under the new law, persons caught violating the state’s ban on hand-held cell phones while driving, can expect a $100 fine and a two-point penalty on their record. This penalty can affect the driver’s insurance rates, and end with a suspended license.
The new law is very tough on distracted voters. Drivers, who continue to violate the law, can expect to lose their license temporarily. Drivers in New York, who accumulate 11 points over an 18-month period, can expect to lose their license. The earlier law did not do not include such penalties.
With this, New York now has some of the country’s toughest laws against cell phone use while driving. New York injury attorneys will find that only fitting. After all, New York was the first state to impose a complete ban on the use of hand-held cellphones while driving. That ban went into effect in 2001. Several other states have since followed suit.
New York is also the scene of a progressive experiment by the Department of Transportation into the prevention of accidents caused by the use of hand-held cell phones. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is using the “Phone in One Hand Ticket in the Other”campaign to reduce the incidence of hand-held cell phone use while driving in New York and Connecticut. The campaign consists of sustained crackdowns against the use of hand-held cell phones while driving, and if successful, could be replicated in other areas of the country too.