Proposed New York Law Hopes to Curb Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is something that not only has terrifying and disastrous--potentially fatal--results, but it's something that an unfortunately huge number of us do on a regular basis. Whether it's answering a phone call you've been waiting for while driving, checking your email at a red light, or scrolling through your Instagram feed while speeding on the Taconic, there's a huge spectrum of potential distraction, and New York lawmakers are looking to do something about it.
What's been proposed is State Senate Bill S6325A
Provides for the field testing for use of mobile telephones and portable electronic devices while driving after an accident or collision.
What's this mean? Well, in short, it affords law enforcement the opportunity to check phone activity to see if you were using your phone while driving, leading to the collision in question:
EVERY PERSON OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE WHICH HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT OR COLLISION INVOLVING DAMAGE TO REAL OR PERSONAL PROPERTY, PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH, AND WHO HAS IN HIS POSSESSION AT OR NEAR THE TIME OF SUCH ACCIDENT OR COLLISION, A MOBILE TELEPHONE OR PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE, SHALL AT THE REQUEST OF A POLICE OFFICER, SURRENDER HIS OR HER MOBILE TELEPHONE AND/OR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE TO THE POLICE OFFICER SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF FIELD TESTING SUCH MOBILE TELEPHONE AND/OR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE. IF SUCH FIELD TESTING DETERMINES THAT THE OPERATOR OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE WAS USING HIS OR HER MOBILE TELEPHONE OR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE IN VIOLATION OF SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE-C OR TWELVE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE-D OF THIS ARTICLE, THE RESULTS OF SUCH TESTING SHALL CONSTITUTE EVIDENCE OF ANY SUCH VIOLATION.
What do you think? Necessary measure to adapt to changing technology? Or an invasion of privacy?
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