Source:
The New York TimesGov. Andrew M. Cuomo, joining officials in other states who have sought steep penalties for phone-wielding motorists, said on Friday he would introduce legislation to crack down on drivers who text, post on Twitter or otherwise distract themselves with handheld electronics while at the wheel.
The governor said he would propose upgrading so-called distracted driving from a secondary offense to a primary one, meaning that police officers could pull over drivers solely because they are spotted pecking away at their phones.
“Every day, countless drivers, particularly teenagers and young adults, drive with their eyes on a screen rather than the road,” Mr. Cuomo said in a statement. “We need to impose a true deterrent to stop people from driving while using an electronic device and to keep our roads and citizens safe.”
The governor’s proposal would also increase the penalty for distracted driving from two points on a driver’s license to three points, the same punishment meted out for offenses like running a stop sign, failing to yield or committing minor speeding infractions.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/11/nyregion/cuomo-seeks-tougher-penalties-for-texting-while-driving.html