Within the fall of 2001 former New York Governor, George Pataki, signed a invoice forbidding drivers from speaking on their cell telephones whereas driving. New York was the primary state to enact such a legislation. The one exception to this legislation was that drivers may use fingers free microphones (or a Bluetooth these days). Starting on December 1, 2001 any driver within the state of New York caught speaking on his or her cellphone whereas driving can be issued a ticket for $100.As the primary state to enact such a legislation New York acquired numerous consideration. Ultimately, a number of different states adopted in New York’s footsteps and handed related legal guidelines of their very own. Nevertheless, within the years following the passage of New York’s cellphone legislation a brand new communication pattern started. Textual content messages and using different handheld communication units had been turning into more and more fashionable. Sadly, New York’s Legislation didn’t prohibit texting and driving. It solely banned speaking and driving.
The primary momentous push for a Textual content Messaging Ban started in June of 2007. In Upstate New York 5 teenage ladies had been in an SUV headed down the freeway. When the motive force all of the sudden veered into oncoming site visitors and collided with an enormous rig. Whereas investigating the crash, it was found that the motive force had despatched and acquired textual content messages within the moments earlier than the crash. All 5 ladies died within the crash, only some days after they graduated highschool.Many counties feared related crashes would happen with out a legislation banning texting whereas driving. Since, it was not going to be enforced on a state stage many counties took issues into their very own fingers. In 2008, Westchester and Nassau counties had been among the many first to cross legal guidelines. Westchester County began an schooling marketing campaign in native excessive colleges to tell new drivers of the legislation. County officers felt the legislation would profit youthful drivers. The youthful, extra inexperienced drivers had been a part of the textual content message technology they usually felt a ban on textual content messaging whereas driving assist new drivers listen.On August 27, 2009 Governor David Paterson signed a invoice that will lastly ban drivers from textual content messaging whereas driving on a statewide stage. Along with textual content messaging the legislation additionally bans using any transportable digital units whereas driving. The legislation was put in force on November 1, 2009 and breaking the legislation leads to a high-quality of as much as $150. Nevertheless, the legislation is taken into account a secondary offense. Which means, if a cop sees a driver textual content messaging whereas caught in site visitors on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway the cop can’t pull the motive force over and problem her or him a ticket. If nevertheless, the cop witness the motive force dashing on the BQE and textual content messaging the motive force will be pulled over and issued a ticket for each offenses.
On February 24, 2010 Governor Paterson proposed a change to the brand new legislation. He recommends the legislation be modified from a secondary legislation to main legislation. The change would imply that the police officer who sees a driver textual content messaging whereas caught in site visitors can pull the motive force without having to search out different purpose. If the ban turns into a main legislation, New York wouldn’t be the primary state to boost the ban on textual content messaging from a secondary to main legislation. Washington State Senate has already authorized the change from secondary to main.
