New York Driver Will Be Pulled Over For Texting Under Law Introduced By Governor

Governor Paterson is introducing a bill to curb texting while driving

Flickr/Felixion

By Nina Mandell

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — Keep those hands on the wheel.

Governor Paterson introduced a bill to the New York legislature Wednesday that would make it a primary traffic offense to text message while driving.

The offense is currently a secondary violation, meaning a motorist can't be stopped for texting while driving alone.

"This bill will take the handcuffs off our law enforcement officers and make our highways safer by allowing officers to observe a violation and immediately issue a summons," Paterson said in a statement.

The governor's office cited a Nationwide Insurance study that said 20 percent of all drivers and 66 percent of drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 sent texts from behind the wheel.