Police Officers Cracking Down on Texting While Driving
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: July 14, 2012
Police officers have been cracking down on Texting-While-Driving since the law took effect one year ago.
Authorities in New York report issuing more than 20,000 tickets to motorists for texting violations this past year - That's four times as many than the previous year. An area seargent says the law gives police the power to stop motorists solely for this activity.
"One of the big reasons for that is it gave police a little bit more teeth - originally you had to have an additional violation in order to stop someone for the texting. Now texting itself, or use of other electronic devices while you're driving, you can stop the individual for that, you do not need a secondary cause," says Sgt. Richard Misterka, Oneida County.
He says the increase throughout the state is reflected in Oneida, Herkimer, and Madison counties who have all seen a similiar increase for tickets issued for texting while driving.
Authorities in New York report issuing more than 20,000 tickets to motorists for texting violations this past year - That's four times as many than the previous year. An area seargent says the law gives police the power to stop motorists solely for this activity.
"One of the big reasons for that is it gave police a little bit more teeth - originally you had to have an additional violation in order to stop someone for the texting. Now texting itself, or use of other electronic devices while you're driving, you can stop the individual for that, you do not need a secondary cause," says Sgt. Richard Misterka, Oneida County.
He says the increase throughout the state is reflected in Oneida, Herkimer, and Madison counties who have all seen a similiar increase for tickets issued for texting while driving.
