Tickets issued for texting while driving in New York state more than doubled during the month of August, prompting Syracuse area police forces and state officials to take action.

According to a Sept. 21 release from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office, 427 tickets were given out between January and June, compared to 1,082 drivers who were ticketed for texting while driving in August alone.

On July 12, Cuomo signed a law that bolstered law enforcement against texting while driving. In New York, the first offense for texting while driving is now a $150 monetary fine and three points on the offender’s license.

But Capt. John Sardino of Syracuse University’s Department of Public Safety said that texting while driving isn’t any less of an issue than it was in July.

‘I think what’s going to happen — like a lot of laws — this law is going to continue to create problems, and the fines for it are going to get higher,’ he said. ‘It’s going to get worse before it gets better.’

The New York State Police plans on copying the city of Syracuse’s successful pilot program, said Sgt. Bernie Kennett of the New York State Police. The program places unmarked state police cars in New York, allowing New York police officers to spot texting offenders before they have a chance to hide their phones.

Kennett said he is a bit more hopeful about the effects the law will have.

‘I think the number of tickets will increase to a certain point, then hopefully it will plateau, then

hopefully it will go down as people become more aware of the law,’ he said. ‘If we’re going to see any change now, it’s going to be because of the heavy enforcement and not so much the fear they’re going to crash, but the fear they’re going to get a ticket, and I’m going to get points on my license, and I’m going to get a fine.’

But Kennett said he realizes this isn’t a mere matter of road etiquette; it’s a larger cultural issue.

‘The teens and young adults are very good about putting their seat belts on because it’s been engrained in their heads since they were in a child’s seat,’ Kennett said. ‘I don’t know if we’re going to have that same good transition with the cellphones and the texting because they are so common in our life.’

Sardino said it is important to note students are not the only ones guilty of texting while driving and said that texting while driving crosses all boundaries.

Because texting is such an everyday activity, people don’t realize how much attention it takes away from people. Even Sardino said he has to fight the temptation to grab his phone to let other people know he’s running late.

Mina Johnson, a sophomore television, radio and film major, said she only texts while driving to say something important or to ask an important question, but she said she does not try to have conversations while driving.

Kennett said people often think if it’s only one text or email, they’ll be OK. Unfortunately, he said, that’s not often the case.

‘People need to be aware using a cellphone or texting makes you more impaired than an intoxicated driver,’ he said.

Kennett said this is a cultural change, and it is something New York is going to be working on for a long time.

‘It is a cultural change, and it is something we’re going to battle for a long time,’ he said. ‘And hopefully, with this new legislation and the police officers, troopers and the deputies enforcing it, and the courts working with us, hopefully we can keep people safe.’

cbhutton@syr.edu

 

Published on September 26, 2011 at 12:00 pm