Senate Resolution No. 4518

BY: Senator MURPHY

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
April 2018, as Distracted Driving Awareness Month in
the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize
official months that are set aside to increase awareness of serious
issues that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 2018, as
Distracted Driving Awareness Month in the State of New York, in
conjunction with the observance of National Distracted Driving Awareness
Month; and

WHEREAS, The best way to end distracted driving is to educate all
Americans about the danger it poses; each and every death is 100%
preventable, from texting while driving, to dashboard infotainment
systems to evolving voice command features; just one second of your
attention is all it takes to change a life forever; and

WHEREAS, In 2014, 3,179 people were killed, and 431,000 were injured
in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers; in 2017, 4.57
million people were injured seriously enough to require medical
attention; and

WHEREAS, Ten percent of all drivers 16 to 19 years old involved in
fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crashes;
this age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted
at the time of the crashes (NHTSA); and

WHEREAS, At any given daylight moment across America, approximately
660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices
while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010 (NOPUS); and

WHEREAS, Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road
while texting; when traveling at 55mph, that is enough time to cover the
length of a football field blindfolded (2009, VTTI); and

WHEREAS, Because text messaging requires visual, manual, and
cognitive attention from a driver, it is by far the most alarming
distraction; and

WHEREAS, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
estimates that crashes caused by distracted driving cost the United
States approximately $175 billion per year; this is roughly $148 per
every American; in 2017, costs to society totaled $413.8 billion; and

WHEREAS, The percentage of reported drivers texting and using their
cell phones while driving increased from 1.7 percent in 2013 to 2.2
percent in 2014; and

WHEREAS, In the first six months of 2016, driving fatalities
increased 10.4 percent, to 17,775, from the comparable period in 2015;
the latest statistics show that vehicle fatalities are up another 6%
since 2015; and

WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater public awareness on
the dangers of distracted driving, and more must be done to increase
activity at the local, state and national levels; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 2018, as
Distracted Driving Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York.