Attention: New Yorkers

Penalty Hiked for Driving While Calling
By Timothy Bolger on February 15th, 2011

Drivers who talk on the cell phone now face two points on their license in addition to a fine.

Drivers who talk on their cell phones beware: the fine for breaking that law will soon carry with it a two-point penalty.

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) officials said the new regulation will take effect Wednesday. Previously, no points were assigned for those convicted of talking on cell phones while driving. The new regulation puts the law in line with texting while driving, which carried with it a two-point penalty since that law was enacted in November 2009.

advertisement

“Distracted driving is one of the most serious dangers on our roadways today,” DMV Executive Deputy Commissioner J. David Sampson said in a statement. “By strengthening the current law, our hope is that motorists will become even more aware of the potential consequences of their actions if they use a cell phone while driving.”

Drivers who receive 11 or more points can have their license suspended by the DMV. Car insurance rates increase with points on a driver’s license as well, although rates vary depending upon the insurance firm.

Driver distraction contributed to at least one out of five crashes in New York, according to the DMV. Each year over 300,000 tickets are issued statewide for cell phone violations.

In 2009, nearly 5,500 people died nationwide in crashes involving a distracted or inattentive driver and more than 440,000 were injured.

The fine for driving while talking on a cell phone is $100 and the fine for texting while driving is $150.

New York became the first in the nation to adopt a state-wide ban on handheld cell phone use for drivers in November 2001.