Central New York Injury Lawyer Blog
Hey text-a-maniacs, you just got a raise! Starting yesterday, your habit will cost you five points on your license instead of three. Of course it could also cost you your life, and the lives of others.
To put this into perspective, texting while driving will now cost you as many points as driving past a stopped school bus or speeding 30 miles per hour more than the posted speed limit. It is now at the top echelon of driving offenses.
And for good reasons. Gov. Cuomo justified the new law (not that he needed to) by stating the obvious: Texting while driving is a growing problem, especially among young drivers.
How do we know? The number of texting-while-driving tickets issued has soared, from about 3,500 in 2011 to 30,000 in 2012. And those are just the ones who got caught! The average age of the drivers caught is only 26.
How else do we know? Just ask me. Among my New York personal injury case load, texting-while-driving cases are growing. Rear-enders are prominent. Most offenders are young. The texting offender never suspects the guy he is following is going to stop in the middle of the road to turn into a driveway.
Cuomo has also proposed a law suspending new drivers’ licenses for 60 days if they are convicted only once of texting while driving.
We at Michaels Bersani Kalabanka applaud governor Cuomo for ratcheting up the penalties for texting while driving. Texters — kill your habit because your habit kills.
Keep safe!
Mike Bersani
Email me at: bersani@mbk-law.com I’d love to hear from you!
Michael G. Bersani, Esq.
mbk-law.com Central NY Car Accident Lawyers
Michaels Bersani Kalabanka
1-315-253-3293