Gov. Andrew Cuomo today said he’s introducing legislation that would crack down on drivers using portable devices while driving, including a provision to make texting-while-driving a primary traffic infraction. The bill comes with just one week left in the legislative session and as lawmakers consider plans to make texting while driving a primary offense. Currently, state law makes texting while driving a secondary offense, meaning police can only issue a ticket if a driver is pulled over for another offense, such as erratic driving. Police and traffic-safety officials have criticized the law, adopted in 2009, for lacking teeth. Gannett’s Albany Bureau reported in April that tickets issued for texting while driving represented only a fraction of the number given out compared to talking on a cell phone without a handheld device, a primary offense and a law since 2001. Cuomo’s legislation would make it a primary offense if a driver were caught using any portable device, such as BlackBerrys and iPhones. The bill would increase the penalty from two to three points on a person’s license. Distracted driving curriculum would be required for people seeking a license. The fine would remain at up to $150.
-Courtesy of Press and Sun
