Manitoba has joined Ontario in stiffening its fines for distracted drivers. Both provinces have punishments that rank among the toughest in North America. The Manitoba government on June 4 unveiled a new 5-demerit penalty vs. the driver's license. The existing $200 fine remains the same. Distracted drivers previously faced a 2-demerit assessment. The new penalty goes into effect July 1. "This is the highest level of demerit points in Canada for the use of a handheld device," said Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh, left. All Canadian provinces use demerits to punish distracted … [Read more...]
Ontario plan: $1,000 plus points
March 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The Ontario government followed through with plans to crack down on distracted drivers, proposing maximum fines of $1,000 and three points vs. offenders' licenses. Transportation Minister Glen Murray, left, introduced the "Keeping Ontario's Roads Safe Act" on March 17. The increased penalties for handheld cell phone use and texting had been sought by safety advocates and law enforcement: "Everyone's been saying you've got to put (distracted driving) in the same range as drinking and driving," the minister said. The distracted driving changes were anticipated, and followed action by the … [Read more...]
Manitoba: Distracted driving news
June 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment
In the first three months under Manitoba's strengthened distracted driving laws, about 300 drivers have seen their licenses suspended for cell phone use. One man received a seven-day suspension after being caught for offenses in November 2018 and then again in January, according to Manitoba Public Insurance. Manitoba's fine for handheld cell phone offenses became among the strongest in Canada as of Nov. 1, 2018. Fines soared to $672 from $203. First offenders also will get a three-day license suspension and suffer 5 demerit points. The license suspension expands to seven days for serial … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
Ontario: Distracted driving news
June 27, 2011 by 3 Comments
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is under fire for using cell phone video to talk with reporters while he was driving. It is illegal in the province to "view display screens unrelated to driving, such as watching a video." The on-the-road interview came Jan. 16, 2022, during a dangerous winter storm. Ford called in to television station CP24 while driving in the storm. The province's bulked-up penalties for electronic distracted driving are now in effect. Under the revised law, basic distracted driving offenses come with license suspensions of three days (first offense), seven days (second) and … [Read more...]
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