Drivers using electronic devices beware – police are cracking down on the risky habit through a month-long enforcement campaign.
Burnaby RCMP is joining forces with ICBC and police departments across the province for a month-long campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of using electronic devices while driving.
Last year, more than 40,000 tickets were issued for using electronic devices, which includes tickets for texting or talking on cellphones while driving, and driving without due care and attention, according to a media release from the Burnaby RCMP. Despite the large amount of fines issued, distracted drivers caused 27 per cent of fatal collisions in B.C.
“All of these deaths were needless and preventable had drivers simply been focusing on the driving task at hand. The risks and dangers are only accentuated when other factors come into play such as misbehaving children or eating in the car, for example,” said Sgt. David Bell of Burnaby RCMP traffic services, in the release. “The public needs to be part of the solution by separating the activities of driving and the use of electronic devices.”
The campaign, which kicked off Feb. 1, is an annual campaign to raise awareness of the risks involved in using an electronic device while driving. During last year’s campaign, Burnaby RCMP issued 464 distracted driving tickets to drivers in Burnaby. This may not seem like a lot for a city with a population of more than 227,000 people, but Burnaby issued the second highest amount of tickets in the province, second only to Surrey.
“The public needs to realize, and accept, that use of an electronic device while driving represents a serious form of impairment and carries virtually the same risks and dangers as a driver impaired by alcohol or drugs. There are no messages or calls that are more important than your life or that of someone else’s,” Bell added.
Drivers caught using electronic devices while driving, even while stopped at a light, face a fine of $167 and three driver penalty points. Drivers using an electronic device while committing other violations that put themselves and others at risk could face a charge of driving without due care and attention, which carries a fine of $368.
According to the provincial law for distracted driving, drivers are only allowed to use hands-free devices that are either voice-activated or require only one touch.
For more information, visit ICBC’s webpage on distracted driving at www.icbc.com/road-safety/safer-drivers/distractions.
