Operation Hang Up Seeks to Improve New York Road Safety

September 06, 2012

Operation Hang Up Seeks to Improve New York Road Safety

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 3,092 people were killed in distracted driving accidents in 2010, and approximately 416,000 more people were injured. New York police officers have attempted to reduce this statistic and the danger presented by distracted drivers with "Operation Hang Up." Operation Hang Up increases enforcement of the state's ban on texting while driving by putting additional officers on the road to ticket drivers who are violating the law.

Increased Funding for Increased Patrols

Federal funding is made available to state law enforcement agencies during certain times of the year for initiatives such as Operation Hang Up. The federal funding allows officers to be paid overtime and increases enforcement of life-saving laws intended to prevent car accidents caused by distracted drivers. New York police issued more than 65,000 tickets to drivers using handheld devices in their vehicles during the early months of 2012, reported ABC news.

Distracted Driving Dangers

Distracted driving is prevalent in American society. In fact, a Pew Research Center study found that 40 percent of teens reported being in cars while drivers used cell phones dangerously. A distracted driver's crash risk is four times higher than that of a driver who is not distracted, and research has found that a distracted driver's reaction time is delayed as much as a driver with a 0.08 blood alcohol content.

Distracted driving has a high potential to cause serious injury to persons and property. New Yorkers injured by distracted drivers may have a legal cause of action against the driver. If you have been injured in a crash with a distracted driver, contact a New York personal injury lawyer to discuss and legal claims you may have.

Article provided by Byron Lassin, Attorney at Law
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