為了遏制司機開車發短信的行為，美國紐約州近日宣布將在州內交通主干道沿線設立91個“短信區”，并沿路設指示牌，提醒司機“短信區就在前方，不用急著看手機”。紐約州州長安德魯?庫默表示，該州將繼續使用各種手段遏制開車發短信行為，在實施處罰手段的同時，希望通過設立“短信區”勸導司機開車時不要看手機、發短信。“短信區”的設立并不需要額外的資金投入，紐約州只是把現有的路邊停車休息區改了名字。近期發布的數據顯示，紐約州警方今年夏天共對開車發短信行為開出了2萬多張罰單，可見該問題的普遍性。

The zones will cost nothing to build as they actually already exist in the form of rest stops and parking areas. It’s really all about the signage.

An AT&T survey earlier this year showed that 49 percent of adult drivers text while driving – that’s a lot of people at some point during their journey taking their eyes off the road to tap out a message on a tiny keyboard while in control of a fast-moving two-ton hunk of metal. Or not in control, as the case may be.

In a bid to persuade drivers to resist checking their phone whenever it beeps or pings or whatever sound it makes when a message arrives, New York State is to introduce so-called ‘Texting Zones’ along its major highways and thruways.

Announcing the initiative on Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo said a total of 298 signs with messages like “It can wait, Text Stop 5 miles”, will be positioned along the state’s busiest roads, pointing drivers to 91 Texting Zone locations.

The zones will cost nothing to build as they actually already exist in the form of rest stops and parking areas. It’s really all about the signage.

“New York State is continuing to use every tool at its disposal to combat texting-while-driving,” Cuomo said in a release announcing the initiative. “In addition to tougher penalties, new detection methods for state police and ongoing public outreach efforts, we are now launching special Texting Zones to allow motorists to pull over and use their phones.”

He added, “With this new effort, we are sending a clear message to drivers that there is no excuse to take your hands off the wheel and eyes off the road because your text can wait until the next Texting Zone.”

Recently released data shows New York State police handed out 21,580 tickets for distracted driving this summer compared to 5,208 in the same period a year earlier. While the massive 365 percent increase can be attributed in part to a recent enforcement crackdown by police in the state, the figure highlights the extent of the problem, with many drivers clearly unable to resist the lure of a beeping handset.

Cuomo will be hoping his new signs make drivers think twice about reaching for their phone and instead wait till they make it to the nearest Texting Zone.

(Source: foxnews.com)

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（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）