Drivers under 20 years account for 10 percent of all vehicle crashes involving distracted driving, and under a new law they will be facing tougher penalties for distracted driving.
It’s the age group with the largest proportion of distracted drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and distracted driving kills over 3,000 and injures over 420,000 a year.
On Nov. 1 a law targeting young distracted drivers went into effect. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the legislation and signed the bill into law last year.
New drivers and those under 18 years old convicted of texting while driving will have their license suspended for 120 days on a first offense. Repeat offenders will have their license revoked for a year if they are convicted twice within half a year.
“Driving habits are developed early, and we are sending a message that texting while driving is unsafe, unacceptable, and downright dangerous,” Cuomo said in a press release.
“There have been far too many avoidable tragedies due to texting while driving and with these new penalties, we are seeking to change the behavior of young drivers now, and make New York’s roadways safer for all” Cuomo stated.
New York state has some of the toughest laws against distracted driving. There are 43 states that ban texting while driving, and typically issue a fine and points on your license.
