New York State Cell Phone Use/Texting-Related Accidents Surge 86%

The number of accidents caused by drivers using their cellphones has risen dramatically in the past few years.

New York state accidents related to cell phone use and/or texting has risen 86% since 2009, according to a county-by-county analysis by TrafficTickets.com, a division of Rosenblum Law.

In 2009, there were 650 accidents where the driver was using a cell phone or texting while driving. In 2018 there were 1,212 accidents caused by cell phone use, according to TrafficTickets.com.

Despite the large increase, the rate of injury and death in accidents where the driver was using a cell phone or texting while driving remained about the same, around 50 percent, officials say.

In addition, 2018 was the first year that texting-while-driving tickets were flat since texting-while-driving became a driving offense in 2009.

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