Understanding the Legal Status of Gravity Knives

For the typical law abiding citizen in America, knowledge of the legality of any item is important but not life threatening. For the distracted driver, the knowledge of the legal intricacies of an object like a gravity knife can literally be a matter of life or death on the road. In particular, their future and the future of their loved ones. The ability of a traffic law to have fatal consequences is nothing novel. It is well known and documented that the simple act of speeding in an area or ignoring a traffic light can have dire consequences. In modern times, however, most fatalities caused by driving accidents result from the use of a cellphone. As technology improves, society has witnessed a growing trend of people becoming more engrossed with their phones while driving – and this fact is something that incites real concern. The troubling patterns are made worse by the estimate that by 2020, an astonishing 5000 people will have died as a result of cell phone distracted drivers. At present, the staggering likelihood of death as a result of distracted driving has spurred technological advances to mitigate the risk and prevent needless deaths on the road. While various solutions have been proposed to protect drivers and pedestrians from these risks, one company is aiming to take a three-prong approach by developing methods for detecting, warning against and preventing drivers from being distracted by mobile applications while they are on the road.

The genesis of this company SaverOne stems from a basic yet profound problem: most drivers do not even realize the extent of the risks that distracted driving poses to fellow motorists and pedestrians. In an attempt to raise awareness about the inherent dangers associated with distracted driving, the company has also developed several strategies to ensure that local laws, such as the legality of any object that drivers may have while driving, do not preempt people’s natural desire to remove distractions from their car. One such object that has caught some attention from law enforcement lately is the gravity knife. As the law has grown increasingly difficult to navigate, people have stumbled upon the fact that the simple possession of these knives may lead to people’s arrest. Given the ease with which this object can constitute a legal weapon under certain state laws, consumers have a pressing and immediate need to better understand the comprehensive legal status of gravity knives with respect to possessing an object that is potentially illegal.

Likewise, a failure to properly educate oneself as to the legal status of any knife before they travel can lead to a truly regrettable situation. As previously touched upon, any knife or sword can be the subject of many different interpretations under the law and the penalties for failing to comply with the applicable standard can lead to severe criminal charges if one is not properly informed. Whereas recent case law has narrowed the scope of what constitutes the “gravity knife” standard, the most basic principle when travelling is to know what to expect. In this instance, if you are in county or city that has a firm grip on possession of weapons, you should not be surprised when you see that an officer tends to investigate the circumstances surrounding the object that you possess in greater detail. While some state laws make it extremely difficult to determine where the borderline lies between a legal and illegal knife, a recent article has sought to establish itself as a comprehensive guide to the current legal status of gravity knives in New York. While this article does a good job of providing some background for the more technical reader, the take away point is that regardless of any limitations present in the law, the best practice for someone in possession of a gravity knife in New York is to ensure the following:

• If you find yourself questioning whether your knife is a gravity knife or not, the preferable thing to do is contact the police department in your area or the New York Bar Association’s Criminal Law Section for further advice.

Overall, the various problems that stem from the possession of a knife may pale in comparison to the serious consequences that arise from the possession of a phone while driving. Understanding your legal rights and obligations as it pertains to such laws as knife ownership is crucial for maintaining a smooth travel experience and generally allows for greater level of safety whenever you are on the roads. With technology continuing to move at a fast pace, solutions and applications continue to be envisioned to combat the pernicious effects of distracted driving. Understanding your obligations under the law, however, is the first step towards creating a safer society moving forward. Now if only the answer to the question of how the innovation of SaverOne and its ability to address mobile applications should the line of traffic law?, then we would be on our way to a brighter future.