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Don’t take a chance – Ontario Provincial Police focusing on distracted drivers

March 16, 2018   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

By now everyone knows that using a hand-held device while driving is both dangerous and illegal.

Use common sense and put your cell phone in the glove compartment while driving and avoid paying the price if you make that one call and get caught.

The Ontario Provincial Police are focusing on distracted driving over the March break and will be on the lookout for drivers who try to sneak in a call while on the road.

“By now, the majority of drivers and passengers have witnessed, had a close call, or been involved in a collision with a driver who was texting, talking on their cell phone or engaged in some other form of distraction. Last year, the OPP responded to 8,711 crashes that were linked to driver inattention,” said OPP commissioner and provincial commander of traffic safety and operational support, Brad Blair.

Over the past five years, inattentive drivers have caused more accidents than any other driver.

They have been responsible for 83 road fatalities on OPP patrolled roads in 2017 surpassing speed related deaths at 75, alcohol / drug related deaths at 46, and not using a seat belt at 49, for the same time frame.

Since 2009, (the year Ontario Distracted Driving laws took effect) 692 have been killed on the roads in collisions that involved an inattentive driver.

If convicted of distracted driving a fully licensed driver will receive a find of $400 plus a victim surcharge and court fee for a total of $490 if settled out of court and three demerit points applied to your driving record.

Drivers who endanger others because of any distraction including hand-held and hands-free devices may still be charged with careless driving or even dangerous driving.

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