ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – Police in New York state may soon have a high-tech way of catching texting drivers: A device known as a textalyzer that allows an officer to quickly check if a cellphone has been in use before a crash.
Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday directed the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee to examine the technology and the questions about privacy and civil liberties its use would raise.
“Despite laws to ban cellphone use while driving, some motorists still continue to insist on texting behind the wheel – placing themselves and others at substantial risk,” Cuomo said in a statement first reported by The Associated Press. “This review will examine the effectiveness of using this new emerging technology to crack down on this reckless behavior and thoroughly evaluate its implications to ensure we protect the safety and privacy of New Yorkers.”
