New York prohibits all drivers from texting while driving. Most states throughout the country have similar bans due to traffic safety concerns. Cellphone usage while behind the wheel, whether it is texting, checking a GPS application or talking, increases the risk of accidents, particularly fatal accidents. Federal government statistics indicate that 9% of all deadly car accidents arise from drivers using cellphones. When looking at all motor vehicle crashes, researchers attributed roughly 1.5 million accidents to cellphone usage in 2017.
Distraction is equivalent to impairment
Texting, browsing the internet, talking or otherwise looking down at a phone takes drivers’ eyes away from the road. Studies of this behavior have concluded that cellphone usage decreases drivers’ reaction times in the same way as having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08, which is the legal threshold for intoxication. This holds true whether people use hand-held or hands-free electronics. Alcohol-related crashes kill approximately 10,000 people each year, and as of 2018, motor vehicle deaths linked to drivers using cellphones totaled 4,637.
Auto insurers are paying attention
Automobile insurers have taken notice of the data coming in each year about the hazards of texting while driving. A traffic citation for distracted driving, which usually results from a driver using a cellphone, will increase insurance rates for drivers. In New York, a driver can expect to pay an additional $62.12 per year on average after receiving a ticket.
Disputing cell phone tickets
In consideration of the long-term financial consequences produced by cellphone tickets, many people have an interest in disputing traffic citations. People confronted by this situation have the option of asking lawyers for advice. Legal guidance may prevent a long-lasting negative mark on a driving record.