August 3, 2017

“Textalyzer,” a new technology that could prevent many car crashes

Posted in Auto Accidents

Governor Cuomo announced last month that the New York State Road Safety Committee could acquire a new technology called “textalyzer” to determine if any of the parties involved in a car crash were texting before colliding. According to the governor, this would help reduce the casualties significantly in our state, since many are caused by irresponsible drivers who use their cell phones while driving.

“Despite laws to ban the use of mobile phones while driving, some motorists continue to insist on sending text messages behind the wheel – placing themselves and others at substantial risk,” Cuomo said in a statement to the Associated Press. “This study will examine the effectiveness of using this new emerging technology to curb this reckless behavior and thoroughly evaluate its implications to ensure we protect the safety and privacy of all New Yorkers.”

According to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research, from 2011 to 2015 cell phone related accidents caused the deaths of a dozen people and more than 2,700 people being injured. During the same period, 1.2 million in fines were issued for mobile phone violations. These alarming figures show that it is necessary to take action on the issue for the safety of all New Yorkers, not just those who drive, but also for pedestrians and cyclists on the streets.

Cellebrite, the technology company that develops the Israeli-based device, said the “textalyzer” is months away from being ready, but it has already obtained the support of several state legislators. We sincerely hope this technology will help reduce car crashes and injuries in our state.

If you or a loved one is a victim of a car accident, please contact us for a free consultation. We are here to help.