Distraction - The #1 Cause of Motor Vehicle Crashes in New York State

Distraction - The #1 Cause of Motor Vehicle Crashes in New York State

How often has it happened that you're driving and your attention wanders either to that phone that's ringing or beeping, the CD that just finished playing your favorite tunes, the GPS that needs to be loaded with the address of your next destination....

It's bad enough when our mind is not 100% on the road, but the introduction of all the new electronic gadgets that connect us has turned the problem of the distracted driver into a problem of epidemic proportions which only gets worse as more and more of the teen generation that grew up with texting and cell phones start driving.

Did you know that driver inattention and distraction has been the number one cause of motor vehicle crashes in New York State? And, its a problem mirrored in most every state.

As of this week, in New York it is now a primary violation rather than a secondary one to operate any electronic handheld devices while a car is in motion. What this means is that although texting while driving was already a violation, police could only pull you over if you had some other sort of violation, (like speeding). Now you don't need another violation before they can stop you and if they do, the infraction comes with a stiff fine of $150 and three points on your license.

Hopefully, this new law signed by Governor Cuomo this week will help enforce No Texting While Driving or the use of any other handheld electronic device while a vehicle is in motion.

So if you're driving don't even think about texting or answering that ringing cell phone! Let's all do our part to help eliminate the #1 Cause of Motor Vehicle Crashes in New York State!

FLickr photos by p gordon