The state New York has some of the strictest cell phone laws in the country. No one is allowed to manually use their phones or text while driving. This also includes checking email, Facebook and other apps. While such rules might seem harsh, they are put into place for the right reasons. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 15 people are killed every day as a result of distracted driving—the victims aren’t always the drivers.
Texting is the most common culprit of distracted driving accidents, so it is easy to see why legislatures were so quick to implement bans in New York. Not only does distracted driving have dire consequences, but traffic deaths are also already among the highest in this state.
New York has been one of the leaders in cell phone bans in vehicles, and many other states have followed suit. In fact, almost all 50 states have banned texting and driving, with the exception of Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Montana and New Mexico, as well as South Carolina and South Dakota.
While most drivers know the dangers of texting and driving, not everyone is willing to give up this habit. Some people claim that texting in the middle of stop-and-go traffic is okay, as well as during stops at traffic lights. Not only is this further from the truth, but it is this type of mentality that gets innocent victims killed every day.
Should all states ban texting and driving? Given the dangers, the easy answer is yes. Still, every state has different laws, and some are slowly jumping the bandwagon. Keep in mind that having these laws set in place doesn’t mean that they will always be followed, so it is important to exercise defensive driving at all times.
