State Adds Points For Drivers Caught Using Cell Phones

[pauldun170]

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/?ArID=133913


The state is increasing the penalty for using a cell phone while driving.

While it’s been illegal for years, starting Wednesday, the state Department of Motor Vehicles will impose two points on the driving records of anyone found guilty of using a cell phone while behind the wheel.

That's in addition to the $100 fine offenders already face.

Those who get caught texting while driving also face points and fines.

The DMV hopes the laws remind New Yorkers of the dangers of distracted driving.

"We hope it to be a deterrent much in the way that when the seat belt law was first drafted decades ago," said David Sampson, executive deputy commissioner of the DMV. "At first there was a very little compliance with it and now New York States leads the nation with 90 percent seat belt use. We hope we can have the same impact because distracted driving has now become one of the most serious problems on our highways today."

Officials say it was the imbalance between violations for texting while driving versus talking while driving that led to the new, harsher rule.

“If you text while driving it’s a two point violation and a $150 fine while cell phone use was only a $100 fine and no points. So by drafting this new regulation it will make distracted driving laws consistent," Sampson said.

Most motorists who spoke with NY1 say they agree with the harsher penalty because it will encourage drivers to watch the road ahead.

“It's your license. Now it's going on your record and for something silly like talking on the phone, I mean, come on. You gotta drive, you gotta keep your eyes on the road and that’s basically the way you should do it. It's people’s safety," said one driver.

"At some point we have to stop these things just shut up and drive. It's that important," said one auto repair shop owner.

The DMV estimates that one in five crashes in the state is caused by distracted drivers, resulting in 5,000 deaths last year.

[tommymac]

Interesting, does that mean the cops have to stop doing that too LOL

[askmrjesus]

Posted from Paul's phone, while driving to work.

JC

[Sixxxxer]

Interesting, does that mean the cops have to stop doing that too LOL

No bc the law states Emergency personnel are excluded from this WHILE on duty...I already posed this question to a friend of mine.

I agree with it...But I think it has to be VERY hard for a cop to prove you were "texting" but thats just My opinion.

[tommymac]

No bc the law states Emergency personnel are excluded from this WHILE on duty...I already posed this question to a friend of mine.

I agree with it...But I think it has to be VERY hard for a cop to prove you were "texting" but thats just My opinion.

Hmmm, I am emergency personel wonder if I can pull this off :lol:

[Sixxxxer]

Honestly, You probably could...The cop doesnt know what your on the phone for...Just tell them what you do and that work called and your always on call or some BS...I'm sure it will work 99% of the time.

[Dave]

I realize this is a representitive republic and we don't get to vote on every dumbass piece of legislation that comes along but christ I wish these assholes would spend more time cutting their budgets instead of inventing new ways of revenue generation.

[azoomm]

How about this, don't use your cell phone in your car because it's dangerous and you can't multitask. Shut up and drive.

[Sixxxxer]

How about this, don't use your cell phone in your car because it's dangerous and you can't multitask. Shut up and drive.

Should we make it Illegal to listen to the radio when were driving to?

[azoomm]

Should we make it Illegal to listen to the radio when were driving to?

I don't think cell phone use should be a specific law. I think it's common sense.

[Sixxxxer]

Well thats your first mistake.

People lack common sense. Hence the laws created to counteract the lack of it.

Its not hard to Drive and Talk on a phone...I've done it. It's just as distracting to eat and drive or smoke and drive as it is to talk and drive...yet there's no laws against that.

[z06boy]

How about this, don't use your cell phone in your car because it's dangerous and you can't multitask. Shut up and drive.

Agreed...not illegal here to talk on your phone but it is now illegal to text while driving.

It just kills me though to see police officer's pounding away on their laptop while driving and constantly turning their head to the right and looking at the screen while driving.

[Fleck750]

I wonder how CB radios have slipped through the radar all these years? Maybe because truck drivers can multitask better than most?

[azoomm]

Its not hard to Drive and Talk on a phone...I've done it.
Just because you have participated in the parade, it doesn't mean you were any good at it.

There is one thing that is absolute. All drivers are certain they are exempt or a better driver than the guy driving next to them. I hear my friends make the "shut up and drive" statement all the time - only to pick up the phone themselves while behind the wheel. NO ONE should do it.

The radio does not require active participation in order for it to function. Eating, drinking, smoking, etc - I don't condone or do any of this in my vehicles, even as a passenger. People wonder how our vehicles still smell new after owning them for years - it's because food has no place in my car.

[Dave]

I wonder how CB radios have slipped through the radar all these years? Maybe because truck drivers can multitask better than most?

Never thought missing children could be so sexy, did I say that out loud?

[Sixxxxer]

Just because you have participated in the parade, it doesn't mean you were any good at it.

There is one thing that is absolute. All drivers are certain they are exempt or a better driver than the guy driving next to them. I hear my friends make the "shut up and drive" statement all the time - only to pick up the phone themselves while behind the wheel. NO ONE should do it.

The radio does not require active participation in order for it to function. Eating, drinking, smoking, etc - I don't condone or do any of this in my vehicles, even as a passenger. People wonder how our vehicles still smell new after owning them for years - it's because food has no place in my car.

How does it not require participation? Short of having controls or your steering wheel, I'm pretty sure you need to change the station and put in a cd or work your MP3 player with your hands.

Noone should do lines of coke off strippers asses, but it happens.


I'm not against the law...there are absolute horrid drivers in the world that dont even belong behind the wheel of the car. But i do feel like if your gonna make cell phones Illegal while driving, you make Eating/Drinking/Smoking Illegal while driving to.

[OneSickPsycho]

Never thought missing children could be so sexy, did I say that out loud?

You can not imagine how difficult it is to hold a half gallon of moo juice and polish the one-eyed gopher when your doin' seventy-five in an eighteen-wheeler.

[Fleck750]

You can not imagine how difficult it is to hold a half gallon of moo juice and polish the one-eyed gopher when your doin' seventy-five in an eighteen-wheeler.
Most people would stay the hell away from most trucks if they had a clue to what goes on inside a cab. :lol:

I have a friend who spends most of his roll time surfing the internet on a screen mounted to his dash. :eek: And I just ran over traffic cones for entertainment.

[Dave]

You can not imagine how difficult it is to hold a half gallon of moo juice and polish the one-eyed gopher when your doin' seventy-five in an eighteen-wheeler.

High five :lol

[askmrjesus]

How about this, don't use your cell phone in your car because it's dangerous and you can't multitask. Shut up and drive.

Yeah, you could kill somebody...

http://www.complex.com/tech/2011/02/autocorrect-claims-first-human-life

JC

[KSGregman]

What about the trend now to have a laptop in the dash of most new cars? That's gotta be at LEAST as distracting as talking on the phone doesn't it?

Some people just can't drive for shit....phone or no phone....you know the type I'm talking about...the ones that trip and fall on the way to the car as they were chewing gum at the time....or the ones who walk to the car and then sit down and forget where they were going....

There is no cure, legal or otherwise, for stupid. :idk:

[Kaneman]

I was semi-ok with people talking on their phones while they drive. Sure, they would occasionally veer into my lane, bump me at a light or run over a group of school children on their way to a recital, but it was tolerated.

Now they're making laws against it while something far more sinister and dangerous is becoming habit for many younger drivers, and that's surfing the web while driving. Seriously, see it all the time, people reading web pages, surfing Google, etc. etc....while going down the highway at 70mph.

I dealt with the people talking on the phone, but I sold my motorcycle when smart phones got popular...and you motherfuckers still riding on the street in city traffic are insane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tVKe1P_qiY

[101lifts2]

The insurance companies need to increase revenue, so naturally they lobby Congress to lower shit that cost them money. Accidents. Pretty simple.

IMO...only white and black MALES should be allowed to text or talk on the phone when driving. Anyone of the other sex or other ethnicities simply are marginal at driving to begin with and should not be allowed to use a phone while driving.

There I said it. lol

[tallywacker]

I have a friend that watches TV on his phone everyday back and forth to work. Fuck all that. I listen to hate radio and laugh my ass off.

[askmrjesus]

IMO...only white and black MALES should be allowed to text or talk on the phone when driving. Anyone of the other sex or other ethnicities simply are marginal at driving to begin with and should not be allowed to use a phone while driving.

There I said it. lol

I just can't believe you're still single.

JC

[Papa_Complex]

What about the trend now to have a laptop in the dash of most new cars? That's gotta be at LEAST as distracting as talking on the phone doesn't it?

Some people just can't drive for shit....phone or no phone....you know the type I'm talking about...the ones that trip and fall on the way to the car as they were chewing gum at the time....or the ones who walk to the car and then sit down and forget where they were going....

There is no cure, legal or otherwise, for stupid. :idk:

Our law, in Ontario, covers interaction with any electronic device while driving. That includes GPS units, by the way. Thing is that despite having laid almost 50K charges, over the last year, this law effectively isn't enforced. Just as prior to the law coming into force, I can still look around in traffic and find that every 4th person is on a hand-held cell.

[Amorok]

On base you can talk on your cell phone as long as you're using a hands-free device, is that a provision of the new york law? As for controlling the radio, I use my iPhone to play my music. I can change the song, artist or playlist by talking into my bluetooth headset and it has speed-sensitive volume, so no, I don't need to look away from the road or draw attention away from driving.

[tommymac]

On base you can talk on your cell phone as long as you're using a hands-free device, is that a provision of the new york law? As for controlling the radio, I use my iPhone to play my music. I can change the song, artist or playlist by talking into my bluetooth headset and it has speed-sensitive volume, so no, I don't need to look away from the road or draw attention away from driving.

hands free devices are legal to use here, its just if youre holding the phone to your ear.

[Particle Man]

I just can't believe you're still single.

JC

:lol

[KSGregman]

Have you driven a Smart Phone lately?

I seldom agree with much Maureen Dowd writes but this piece is spot on, IMO.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/opinion/27dowd.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

[Gas Man]

She obviously didn't leave herself enough space and must have been tailgating.

[Papa_Complex]

She obviously didn't leave herself enough space and must have been tailgating.

It really doesn't matter how much space you leave since 1.5 seconds is more than enough time for someone to make a lane change, then hammer the brakes.

[Gas Man]

But then you never left yourself an out.

[Papa_Complex]

But then you never left yourself an out.

From something that you didn't see coming?

[Gas Man]

Oh if you're good you should be able to see it coming before it does. I can usually predict other drivers, sometimes before they even know. It's getting the big picture.

[Papa_Complex]

Oh if you're good you should be able to see it coming before it does. I can usually predict other drivers, sometimes before they even know. It's getting the big picture.

Everyone can, if they give enough of a shit to try. Another thing that applies to everyone, is they they think they're far better drivers than they actually are.

For example I once knew a guy who thought that he could teach people to never crash on a bike, since he never had. Said that he was going to write a book about it, using the same principles as those used by professional pilots.

Then he crashed.

[Gas Man]

I'm a better driver than most, because I'm a MC rider. Then to top on that I get lots of defensive driving classes via work. It's just like being safe at work. It takes an enlightenment and concentration.

[Lamnidae]

I'm a better driver than most, because I'm a MC rider. Then to top on that I get lots of defensive driving classes via work. It's just like being safe at work. It takes an enlightenment and concentration.

x2 -- It just takes a bit of Give-A-Damn.

[Trip]

It really doesn't matter how much space you leave since 1.5 seconds is more than enough time for someone to make a lane change, then hammer the brakes.

Someone perform a swoop and squat in this?

[Papa_Complex]

Someone perform a swoop and squat in this?

From the description, it would make the most sense. Clear, look down, look up after two seconds and be looking at the ass end of a truck? Not necessarily, but most reasonably.