Taking pictures of yourself while driving can be distracting and put you and other travelers at risk. Despite the dangers, many drivers continue to take selfies behind the wheel. New York was recently named as one of the top 10 states for driving selfies. The Auto Insurance Center found that, for every 100,000 New York residents, 1.29 selfies while driving were sent with the hashtag #DrivingSelfies.
Cell phone use while driving can result in devastating consequences, especially for young people. Statistics show that most car accident fatalities related to cell phone use are young people, ages 20 to 29.
State officials are now attempting to put an end to this photo-taking trend. New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles released a warning earlier this month hoping to stop drivers from taking selfies instead of focusing on the road. This warning follows last month’s warning about another form of distracted driving: Pokémon GO. The DMV fears that live-streaming apps and longer posts on social media will cause more accidents.
The use of cell phones while driving has already been banned in New York, but some people can’t seem to put their electronic devices away. Forty percent of drivers use social media apps such as SnapChat while on the road. The penalty for using your phone while driving is $250 for first-time offenders.
Distracted driving comes in many forms, all of which can result in serious injuries and fatalities. Accident victims and their families may never fully recover from their tragedy, but financial support can be beneficial during such a difficult time. That’s why filing a claim against the distracted driver responsible for your accident may be in your best interest.
Source: New York Daily News, “New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles wants drivers to stop taking selfies while behind the wheel,” Alfred NG, Aug. 8, 2016
