NU Online News Service, April 12, 4:05 p.m. EDT

A measure in the New York legislature to stiffen the enforcement of distracted driving gained the support of a state insurance association today.

The legislature currently has several measures in play that would raise distracted driving from a secondary offense to a primary offense, according to the New York Insurance Association (NYIA).

Changing distracted driving to a primary offense would allow law enforcement to pull vehicles over for that offense alone. A secondary offense means law enforcement can only issue a ticket for distracted driving if the vehicle was pulled over for another reason.

One measure (A10063/S6992) is seen by NYIA as the key distracted driving bill. It is a Governor's Office program bill, and is sponsored by Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Martin Malave Dilan, D-Brooklyn, and Assembly Transportation Committee Chairman David F. Gantt, D-Rochester.

A NYIA spokesperson noted that Assemblyman Gantt has proposed his own distracted driving bill, but co-sponsored Governor David Paterson's program bill as well.

The bill text states that the Vehicle and Traffic Law would be amended "by deleting language requiring that a summons for operating a motor vehicle while using a portable electronic device can only be issued when the driver has also committed another traffic violation."

NYIA called distracted driving the "number one cause of accidents in the state."

"NYIA is encouraged by the state's efforts to make distracted driving a primary offense," said NYIA president Ellen Melchionni. "Thorough education followed up by proper enforcement is crucial, particularly with inexperienced drivers. Teen drivers have the greatest crash risk of any age bracket."

She added, "Research has shown that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving while under the influence of alcohol or marijuana. Drivers need to realize how dangerous distracted driving is to our state's roadways. All it takes is one text or call to cause an accident."