Driver distraction — be it from talking on a cellphone or texting — is a leading cause of accidents in New York City, according to data from the NYPD.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/traffic_data/cityacc.pdf
In August there were 16,784 motor vehicle accidents in the city, and roughly 11 percent of them, 1,877, were caused by “driver inattention/distraction,” the police reported.
Handheld cellphones were specifically blamed for three accidents, while hands-free cellphones were blamed for two accidents. “Other electronic device” caused five accidents, according to the NYPD data.
The accident data was made public earlier this month for the first time under a new law that mandates that police publish information on major motor vehicle accidents, according to the New York Daily News.
“Following too closely” was called a contributing factor in 812 accidents, while “backing unsafely” caused 380 crashes. Alcohol contributed to 80 accidents, while “aggressive driving/road rage” was blamed for 60 accidents.
The News noted that New York Gov. Cuomo in July signed a bill that sets stricter punishment for those caught texting and driving.