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"New 'textalyzer' technology, and enabling legislation, could help police determine if a driver's
texting, Facebooking, Instagramming, Snapchatting, or whatever digital pursuit seemed like a
good idea at the time was the reason for a highway crash or erratic driving in the state of New
York.
The theory is that the textalyzer would work much like a breathalyzer helps detect a drunk
driver.
The New York Civil Liberties Union and other civil libertarians are afraid it will be a flagrant
violation of civil rights.
Ben Lieberman disagrees with the NYCLU.
'The general public knows distracted driving is a problem, but if people knew the extent of the
damage caused by this behavior, they would be amazed,' Lieberman said.
Lieberman knows.
He has been trying to put an end to distracted driving ever since his 19-year-old son Evan was
killed in a 2011 car crash caused by a person who was texting while driving.
Now Lieberman is backing legislation named after his son that would enable police in the state
of New York to use textalyzer technology to determine if drivers were texting instead of being
forced to get a warrant or subpoena to check cell phone records.
'Evan's Law' would allow a police officer to demand the cell phones of drivers involved in an
accident. The devices of anyone who refused would be confiscated.
'With our current laws, we're not getting accurate information because the issue is not being
addressed at the heart of the problem - with the people causing the collisions,' Lieberman said.
New York Sen. Terrence Murphy (R ) and Assembly Assistant Speaker Felix Ortiz (D) have sponsored
the legislation, which is supported by Lieberman and the organization he founded, Distracted
Operators Risk Casualties (DORCs).
The Assembly and Senate proposals have yet to be voted on by the full legislature."
Read the rest: https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/2016/05/08/new-york-states-textalyzer-legislation-opens-phones-to-warrantless-searches/?singlepage=true
texting, Facebooking, Instagramming, Snapchatting, or whatever digital pursuit seemed like a
good idea at the time was the reason for a highway crash or erratic driving in the state of New
York.
The theory is that the textalyzer would work much like a breathalyzer helps detect a drunk
driver.
The New York Civil Liberties Union and other civil libertarians are afraid it will be a flagrant
violation of civil rights.
Ben Lieberman disagrees with the NYCLU.
'The general public knows distracted driving is a problem, but if people knew the extent of the
damage caused by this behavior, they would be amazed,' Lieberman said.
Lieberman knows.
He has been trying to put an end to distracted driving ever since his 19-year-old son Evan was
killed in a 2011 car crash caused by a person who was texting while driving.
Now Lieberman is backing legislation named after his son that would enable police in the state
of New York to use textalyzer technology to determine if drivers were texting instead of being
forced to get a warrant or subpoena to check cell phone records.
'Evan's Law' would allow a police officer to demand the cell phones of drivers involved in an
accident. The devices of anyone who refused would be confiscated.
'With our current laws, we're not getting accurate information because the issue is not being
addressed at the heart of the problem - with the people causing the collisions,' Lieberman said.
New York Sen. Terrence Murphy (R ) and Assembly Assistant Speaker Felix Ortiz (D) have sponsored
the legislation, which is supported by Lieberman and the organization he founded, Distracted
Operators Risk Casualties (DORCs).
The Assembly and Senate proposals have yet to be voted on by the full legislature."
Read the rest: https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/2016/05/08/new-york-states-textalyzer-legislation-opens-phones-to-warrantless-searches/?singlepage=true