While statewide legislation is pending in Albany concerning texting while driving, some local and state politicians are looking to make the laws even more stringent on the local level. Though the law pending in Albany would prohibit the act of sending or receiving a text while driving, the act of texting is being looked at as a second violation, one that would garner a fine only on the basis of being stopped for other reasons.
How many times have you been stuck behind a stationary car when the light turns green because the driver in front of you is typing on their phones and PDA's? The temptation is to sneak a peek every time a text or email comes in, but if talking on the phone is illegal because it takes your hand/mind off the road, the idea of taking one's eyes off the road is far more unsettling, and a county sheriff in the Channel 4 video below, says that texting increases the chance of an accident by 60 percent.
Erie
County Legislators Timothy M. Wroblewski (D-West Seneca, South Cheektowaga) and
Timothy M. Kennedy (D-South Buffalo, South Cheektowaga) are introducing the
local law which is being backed by State Assemblyman Mark J.F. Schroeder
(D-Buffalo), who also supports toughening anti-texting laws. They want to make it a primary offense
that would carry a $150 fine.
"The
purpose of this local law is to provide for and to protect the public safety of
Erie County residents," Legislator Wroblewski, the chair of the Public Safety
Committee, said. "Frankly, the legislation pending in Albany on this subject
does not go far enough - while it bans the sending and receiving of text
messages while driving in New York, the violation is treated as a secondary
offense. This means law enforcement must stop a motorist for another violation
on New York State law before the motorist can be ticketed for text messaging
while driving."
Added
Kennedy, "We believe that this secondary approach put forward by New York State
is wrong. The local law we are proposing will make texting while driving a
primary offense and put teeth into the law that will give law enforcement the
necessary tools to pull people over who are putting themselves, their
passengers and other travelers in harm's way."
Like the people talking on the phone while driving isn't annoying enough. I would love to be a cop for a day, i would drive around handout out cell phone tickets, and would pull plenty of people over for running red lights, or the ghetto move where they pull to the outside lane so when the light changes they can speed thru and cut you off before reaching the cars parked on the side of the road. Or when people are stopped in the middle of the road chatting with a buddy on the sidewalk. Or when you are behind a car in the inside lane at a light and it turns green and they are turning but never put on their turn signal and you are stuck behind them, or they make a u-turn just off the parkside exit of the 1-98 to turn into delaware park and almost cause a pile up. Man I could go on, I would def lose that badge real quick due to all the idiots and ignorant people that got beat by my billy club.
I'd like to be your partner in fighting crime!
We must be driving behind the same people because every single annoyance you just listed are daily observances for me and they drive me F*CKING crazy.
Maybe i think to highly of myself but i've made it 17 years without ever being in an accident and it is a rare occasion that i take my eyes off the road. I do text on occasion while driving but I do it in such a way that I am not a complete hazard to everyone else around me.
Unfortunately i think this is just a case of crappy drivers doing what they do. It is unlikely to change with more laws and tickets. Just part of life.