Alberta's justice minister is under investigation following a phone call to Edmonton's police chief regarding a distracted driving ticket the minister received. He has taken a leave of absence in the matter. “To be abundantly clear, at no point did I request that the ticket be rescinded,” Kaycee Madu said in a statement. “I would never do that." He said in mid-January 2022 that he regretted "raising the issue at all" with the police chief. The ticket for cell phone use was issued in a school zone. Madu, who is black, said he was concerned he was racially profiled and that the citation could … [Read more...]
Canadians: Ban phones, save money
October 3, 2010 by Leave a Comment
The distracted driving debate rarely comes down to money, but a Canadian study finds that a ban on cell phones can have economic benefits in addition to saving lives. The University of Calgary's Faculty of Medicine says its home province of Alberta could produce an annual savings of $36 million a year by instituting a cell phone ban. The breakdown is $6 million in lower health care costs and $30 million in savings on clearing away wreckage from vehicle crashes. The lead researcher called the revenue proposition "a no-brainer" for the province. But the costs of a ban on using cell phones … [Read more...]
Election hot button: distracted driving
September 11, 2010 by 2 Comments
Distracted driving has yet to emerge as an election issue in the U.S., but it's making news on the campaign trail in Canada's New Brunswick province. The current Liberal government has come under fire once again for its foot-dragging in enacting specific distracted driving laws. New Brunswick remains one of two Canadian provinces without laws against text messaging while driving. Political Conservatives have said several times during their campaign for the fall election that they’ll promptly enact distracted driving legislation if victorious in the fall. The issue hit the front burner Sept. … [Read more...]
U.N. mobilizes against distracted driving
May 22, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has thrown the U.N.'s weight behind a global push to stamp out distracted driving. Ban also has ordered the U.N.'s 40,000 staffers to stop texting while behind the wheel of the organization's vehicles. Ban said at a New York gathering for the global distracted driving campaign: "We are seeing a major emerging challenge of driver distraction, mainly by using mobile phones. Together we have a message to all drivers of the world -- don't let using a mobile for a few seconds make you and others immobile for life." (Photo, from left: Jennifer Smith, Ban Ki-moon, … [Read more...]
Alberta distracted driving law unveiled
April 14, 2010 by 6 Comments
Alberta would no longer be "Canada’s traffic-safety donkey" under long-delayed legislation that would tackle distracted driving. The province's Tory government called the plan "some of the most comprehensive distracted driving legislation in Canada." Bill 16, introduced April 14, would outlaw drivers' use of handheld cell phones (hands-free OK), as well as PDAs and other handheld electronic communications devices. Texting would be included in forbidden activities. Alberta's distracted driving legislation includes a ban on "personal grooming" while driving. While frequently cited (by dubious … [Read more...]
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