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Too distracted to dodge the ticket

March 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment
cops are ahead was warning to distracted drivers

Some helpful citizens in Delta, British Columbia, tried to warn their fellow distracted drivers that police were writing cell phone tickets ahead. Alas, the RCMP says, many of the yakking & driving motorists in Delta were too distracted to see the red-letter warning sign. "Our members still issued 49 violations," a law officer said. The crudely written sign (what else) reads: "Cops are ahead, get off your phone." Delta is part of metro Vancouver. In February, British Columbia police wrote more than 5,500 tickets for texting & handheld cell phone use, despite the widely publicized crackdown for distracted driving month. RCMP called the high number of violations … [Read more...]

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Alberta DD law now in effect

August 26, 2011 by 3 Comments

Alberta took its time installing a distracted driving law -- it's the eighth Canadian province to do so -- but the new rules clearly are among the most comprehensive in North America. The new Alberta distracted driving law went into effect next Thursday, Sept. 1. The fine is $172 (total). (This post updated Sept. 1) In addition to banning text messaging, emailing and the use of handheld cell phones for drivers, the law prohibits other use various other handheld electronic communications devices, grooming, non-commercial use of CB radios, GPS data entry, writing, drawing, sketching, reading of printed materials and the use of certain video screens (TVs, DVDs). Use of cell phones with … [Read more...]

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Ontario: Distracted driving news

June 27, 2011 by 3 Comments

Distracted driving killed more people in Ontario last year than did drinking and driving, police say. In 2012, 83 people died in distracted driving crashes in Ontario, Provincial Police reported in April 2013. "Distracted driving was a causal factor that surpassed our impaired driving fatalities in 2012," the police highway safety chief said. The OPP wrote almost 16,000 distracted driving tickets in 2012. Police ran a distracted driving sweep April 15-22, 2013, targeting not only texting and use of handheld cell phones, but all forms of inattentive driving, such as eating and drinking, grooming, and dealing with children and pets. In London, police handed out 1,234 traffic tickets … [Read more...]

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British Columbia: Distracted driving news

January 24, 2011 by 6 Comments

Justice Minister Shirley Bond won't go along with the province's police chiefs call for officers to be able to confiscate cell phones of distracted driving offenders. "I'm certainly not considering the seizure of cell phones," Bond said March 12, 2013. Victoria Police Chief Jamie Graham floated the idea of seizing the cell phones of repeat offenders after February's distracted driving sweep yielded a "disappointing" 5,500 tickets. Bond cited "the privacy issues" and logistics of seizing cell phones from violators. The justice minister isn't a fan of higher fines for cell phone use while driving either -- another trial balloon from the British Columbia Chiefs of Police Association. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: British Columbia distracted driving news, Canadian cell phone laws Tagged With:
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