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New Data: Cellphone Distraction Caused Most Crashes In August
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Oct 17, 2011
Modified Oct 17, 2011
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Oct 17, 2011
Modified Oct 17, 2011
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According to new data released by the NYPD, the biggest cause of car crashes in August of this year was "Driver Inattention/Distraction" caused by people being unable to resist looking at their phone to find out that the girl they used to wait tables with in high school is engaged. 11% of the 16,784 accidents (or 1,877 crashes) were due to people not paying attention while driving, while "Following Too Closely" was the next highest cause (812), along with "Failure To Yield Right of Way" (629). Councilwoman Jessica Lappin sponsored the law that made the information public, and tells the Daily News, "I still see people talking on their phone and texting while driving when they are stopped at a red light."
While device distraction isn't just limited to cell phones (GPS devices and iPods count too) it accounted for 25% of all crashes in the country. Governor Cuomo signed a law back in June that makes texting or using your phone while driving a primary traffic offense, it has a giant loophole that allows drivers to secure their devices to the dash or steering wheel and tap away. Perhaps the best news to come out of these numbers is that "Aggressive Driving/Road Rage" only accounted for 60 accidents, despite the palpable wrath anyone feels the moment they get behind the wheel in New York City.
Tagged
andrew cuomo
distracted driving
governor cuomo
road rage
texting while driving
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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