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Texting and Driving—A Dangerous Combination on Long Island Roads

No matter what road you are riding on around Long Island or New York City, you see many drivers busy texting on their phones. This has become a major problem in our area, and has taken thousands of lives across the country.

Some statistics:
• Drivers who are texting are 23 times more likely to get into an accident.
• At least 1.6 million crashes (28 percent of all crashes) are caused each year by drivers either texting or talking on cellphones.
• 5,500 people were killed in 2009 because of "distracted driving."
• 71 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 49 admit they text or talk on the phone while they drive.
• In a recent survey, 90 percent of teenage drivers acknowledged such distracted driving behavior as texting or talking on a cellphone although most respondents were aware that the behavior increased the risk of an accident.
• 52 percent of drivers said they feel less safe on the roads now than they did five years ago. The leading reason cited (88 percent) was distracted driving by motorists who drive while texting and emailing.

Recently, AT&T created a compelling short documentary on the topic called The Last Text. It features stories about people whose lives were adversely affected by texting behind the wheel, including the parents of Mariah West, a vibrant young girl who died after texting "Where u at?" to a friend.
(Check out the documentary here)

That is why more and more states, including New York, have made it illegal to send text messages while driving. However, in New York, it is not a primary offense to text and drive, which means an officer can't pull someone over for texting unless they are also violating another law. Many advocates of texting laws believe it should be made a primary offense in order to be most effective.

Despite laws and campaigns to draw attention to the problem, texting behind the wheel continues to be a growing problem. and the largest proportion of those fatalities were people under 20. There is no text or message that is important enough to risk your life or the lives of your passengers. If you receive a text or want to send one while driving, pull over to the side of the road.

Contact Us Today
If you've been injured in an auto accident caused by someone texting and driving, our firm can help you get the full compensation you deserve. Our experienced lawyers have over 40 years of experience working with car accident victims. Contact us today for a free consultation regarding your New York car accident case. We have offices conveniently located in Manhattan and Long Island.

New York City and Long Island
Personal Injury Lawyers

 Helping injured accident victims throughout New York City, Nassau and Suffolk County

Nassau Office: 1778 Hempstead Turnpike East Meadow, NY 11554 
Suffolk Office: 320 Carleton Avenue Central Islip, NY 11722
New York City Office: 420 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10170

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