April in New York has been designated as Distracted Driving Awareness Month, heralding a significant increase in police vigilance on the state’s roadways. During this time, New York State Police will intensify their efforts with augmented patrols and checkpoints specifically aimed at identifying and penalizing distracted drivers, particularly those engaged with electronic devices while behind the wheel.
Despite New York’s pioneering stance as the first state to prohibit cell phone use while driving—a landmark move reported by NBC—the state continues to grapple with a high incidence of distracted driving-related accidents.
According to an analysis by QuoteWizard, which examined crash data from 2017 to 2021, New York was ranked as the ninth-worst state in the U.S. for fatalities resulting from distracted driving. This issue is underscored by a sobering statistic from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which noted that 3,142 individuals in the U.S. lost their lives in 2020 due to accidents involving a distracted driver.
In response to this ongoing challenge, New York State Police will launch “Operation Hang Up” throughout April. This initiative seeks to rigorously enforce laws against cell phone use and other distractions while driving, aiming to significantly reduce such behaviors on the road. The campaign, as reported by CBS, is set to run from April 1 through April 8, representing a focused effort to curb the tide of distracted driving incidents.
The previous year’s campaign saw the issuance of approximately 70,000 tickets by State Police, with over 2,600 of these citations directly related to distracted driving, as noted by NBC. These statistics highlight the prevalence of distracted driving and the state’s commitment to addressing it.
Echoing this sentiment, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee has identified distracted driving as the foremost cause of road accidents in New York. This led to the state’s initial ban on hand-held cell phone use while driving back in 2001, setting a precedent for other states to follow.
Further legislative efforts to combat this issue included the 2011 enactment of a law that elevated texting while driving to a primary offense and increased driver violation points for such offenses.
The continuous evolution of traffic safety laws in New York, including the incremental increase of driver violation points for distracted driving offenses, reflects a steadfast dedication to enhancing road safety.
As Distracted Driving Awareness Month unfolds, the heightened police presence on New York’s roads serves as a clear message: the state is taking decisive action to mitigate the risks associated with distracted driving, thereby safeguarding the well-being of all road users.