Distracted Drivers Still A Menace
Prince George, B.C. – Prince George RCMP are finding that drivers continue to 
Halfway through the February Distracted Driving campaign, Traffic and General Duty officers have served 88 Motor Vehicle Act violation tickets to drivers failing to abide by distracted driving laws. A fine for a violation is $167. Corporal Corey Eggen with the Municipal Traffic Section says “we’re finding that drivers are not getting the message about distracted driving. Officers are able to locate violators at any time of the day and nearly anywhere in our community. Our fear is that some people won’t learn until it’s too late.”
"Using" an electronic device includes:
- Holding a device;
- Operating one of its functions (e.g. pressing buttons);
- Talking on the device;
- Watching the device.
"Electronic devices" include:
- Cell phones, Blackberry, and other hand-held devices that have telephone capabilities and on which you can send text messages or e-mails;
- iPods and other audio players;
- GPS systems;
- Hand microphones;
- Televisions;
- Other hand-held electronic devices.
There are exceptions: Devices that are "securely fixed to the motor vehicle" and "in a manner that does not obstruct the driver's view of the front or sides of the vehicle or interfere with the safety or operating equipment of the vehicle", are allowed. An example would be a built-in GPS system.
Graduated Licensing Program drivers are NOT allowed to use any electronic device, including those with hands-free technology.
The Prince George RCMP want to assist drivers with some clarification because some drivers are misinterpreting the laws:
Under provincial law, the definition of "using" an electronic device includes holding it. Therefore, just holding an electronic device is an offence. The driver does not have to be talking on it or typing.
Under the Motor Vehicle Act, an electronic device includes not only cellular phones, but also audio players, GPS systems, televisions and hand held microphones.
Whether sitting in traffic or waiting at a red light, a driver is still "operating" a motor vehicle and therefore still violating the Act.
And police offer some distracted driving solutions that may save someone’s life and keep the police out of your rear view mirror:
- Use a hands free device. These devices are relatively inexpensive, simple to use and often sync with your phones address book;
- Pull off the road before answering the phone. Even if you intend on pulling over, answering the phone before you pull over is a violation of the act;
- Pull over to a safe location. The shoulder of a highway is NOT a safe place. Please find a pull out or parking lot where you are well off the road and not impeding traffic. We do not want a distracted driver to run into the back of your vehicle;
- Let the call go to voice mail or the text stay unread for a few minutes. Nothing is so important that it is worth increasing the risk to your life.
Comments
I see cops on the PH and computer while driving all the time WTF above the law??
and Speeding too!
The GPS has me wondering. In the newer cars GPS systems may be included with the vehicle, typically when on pays about $1000 extra rather than a good quality post manufacture system that is mounted separately to the console.
Any one is a distraction unless the system is Bluetooth speech activated.
Yes above the law zyblxteu get over it. Besides the computer in a cruiser is attached to the car so it doesn’t count. Hands free should be banned too!
People won’t stop the insanity until the fines become 10 times more. Make the charge impaired driving then people might stop. But there are always the people that will do it no matter what because they think that they are so important and smart that they can handle it.
Throw the book at them!
My thought also, whats the difference between a built in GPS and dash mounted? What is the reasoning? Also the use of touch screens for most controls now which requires more concentration and head down for longer compared to using a button or knob.
Common distractions which one cannot legislate against unless the government puts head plants into each person with a license:
1. “back” seat drivers … can be number one…
2. loose cargo in the car which one is not using .. untethered pets, handbags, miscellaneous small items which could fall to the floor and drivers will try to pick it up
3. conversations by passengers, even when the driver is not involved … but major if involved.
4. thinking about personal, family, friends problems.
get the drift?
Safe driver courses, which is not a standard inclusion driver education and testing, address this by stating that a driver must leave all that behind when entering the car, sitting down and getting focused on driving.
A very difficult thing to do for most people, especially in an era where we have taken multi-tasking for granted and brag about how many things one can do at the same time.
Many courses still use examples of focused, autonomous driving action to the extent that one does not even remember how they got to the place they end up at and have to reflect back to why they are there.
The driver is not allowed to fiddle with a GPS while driving (typing in an address or changing settings), or a mp3 player (changing songs), etc – that warrants a distracted driving ticket. That does not mean you can’t have a GPS on and mounted, just means you can’t be playing with it or physically holding it in your hand.
Hands free devices are allowed if you only are required to touch one button to activate the hands free device. The devices that clip to your vent visor or sit on your ear still require you to press a button on them to answer or make a call, same as a dash or window mount GPS.
Most bluetooth allows a person to press the phone button and voice activate their call with something like “call home”, in dash bluetooth also allows voice commands to your phone – you just need to press the phone button on the screen which is allowed by law.
morning Gus, glad to see that you are on the ball so early.
Multi tasking is a myth Gus!
http://youtu.be/Ahg6qcgoay4
We can’t do two cognitive tasks at the same time.
It’s called inattentional blindness.
http://neuronarrative.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/just-how-blind-are-you-when-talking-on-a-cell-phone/
Seen a gal the other day standing on the side of the street using her hand held device.
There were two graders coming up behind her. I stopped short of where she was standing to allow the graders to go around her, which they did, and she did not even look up to see what was going past her. It was amazing to watch.
After the graders passed and as I was starting to go by her (she still had not looked up), I blew my horn, and she was startled into reality and looked around to see what was going on,. Hmmmmm.
Yeah I have had similar experiences myself. I had a fella cross the street in front of me, he was totally oblivious to what was going on around him. Luckily for him I noticed him advancing across the street and I laid on the brakes. The thanks I got for saving his life from on coming traffic was the old middle finger solute. Wonder what his gesture would have been if he had been stuck from the oncoming traffic?
slinky….do that include the cops??
Not only the cops, but also firemen ….. I think they usually have a second individual in the cabin who does the navigation, etc.
Those factory built-in navigation systems (GPS) are apparently being used for data gathering. Some of them supposedly are doing a Big Brother number by recording a video of one’s recent 20 minutes of driving without one being aware of it.
They are actually doing the same thing as a dash cam!
anyone see 20/20 last nite??
if not watch it.. this bunch here are just as bad..or worse!!
Why are people singling out cops? Oh yeah, they just hate them and are biased.
Breaker, breaker ….. were truckers not the first to regularly use radios while driving?
A “menace” huh?
IMO, elderly drivers, and impaired drivers, are more of a menace on our roads.
I tend to agree with you, weaksauce. Menace implies hostile intent to me. How can distractions be hostile and intended to do harm?
Road rage would be an example of hostile or threatening intent.
I think threat or hazard would be more appropriate.
Posted by: zyblxteu on February 15 2014 10:42 AM
slinky….do that include the cops?
Actually, no. First responders are allowed to talk on a cell as far as I know and the police are allowed to use cell phones and laptops while driving – they are exempt from the distracted driving law while on duty.
People with an ‘N’ on their vehicle are not allowed to use a hands free device like a earpiece or GPS for phone calls, they can’t use any device while driving except for the steering wheel and shifter
Is a blind person behind the wheel of a car a hazard? I would say so, a really big hazard. Is someone talking or texting on their phone a threat to ones safety? You bet it is when study after study has proven that texting while driving is as impairing as being drunk. So when a person gets behind a wheel of a weapon and knowingly disobeys logic then they are definitely a threat to themselves and everyone else in their path
Surely fact trumps opinion.
Probably, according to most regions in the USA and Canada traffic accident rates for 16- to 19-year old drivers are higher than those for any other age group.
What causes teenage drivers to be such risky drivers? The following is a list of their primary risk factors.
Poor hazard detection
Low risk perception
Risk Taking
Not wearing seat belts
Lack of skill
Alcohol and drugs
Carrying passengers
Night driving
Witnessed a classic case of small wick syndrome today. Dude in his jacked up big azz Ford , must have that little wick diesel chip in it. He had to stop and wait a few seconds for a pedestrian, flips his wig, puts his foot to the floor leaving the pedestrian in a cloud of diesel exhaust (or unburnt diesel).
More and more I see people flipping out if their life is interrupted for 5 or 10 seconds. Very scary. That’s my rant.
It seems to be the trend these days; everyone driving like they are playing Grand Theft Auto!
Thought provoking comment Peeps, when you think about it, the traffic in the game moves flawlessly albeit for one driver…you! Sure can be fun to be a road menace though, only in the game of course:)
“everyone driving like they are playing Grand Theft Auto” ….that is a characteristic more attributable to younger than to older drivers.
Anyone notice they have a ‘now hiring’ sticker on the back windows of the cop cars in town… only thing is you have to be tailgating them to be able to read it. lol
According to multiple online search engines, the average age for gamers is 33 years old. Most of us would define that as old rather than young.
Nascar GPS? Always repeating “left turn ahead”?
33 is old ? Crap.
I’ve been wondering why young girls have been smiling at me lately. I must be passed the creepy old guy stage and now I’m a harmless antique.
It’s either that or you are walking around with your fly open… might want to check on that rummy ;-)
As long as we are going to have a system that just fines people for texting, or talking on a phone, then we are not going to solve the problem.
The biggest part of the problem is that the Police and Courts do not want to spend the money to try and get a conviction.
These people should be charged with the appropriate law on the books,. ie; Driving without due care and attention, Dangerous Driving, Impaired driving, etc;
Once charged the people should have to attend court and plead either guilty or not guilty, pay for a lawyer, and take their chances. Spending a few days in front of a judge and prosecutor will get their attention. Then upon completion of the trail if found guilty they can pay the fine, or go to jail.
That’s how the system used to work, and that’s how it should work, however if you have a justice system and police system, that does everything possible to avoid court costs, then you just give people a fine.
I suspect that most people who get a $167.00 fine could care less, They just play the game **Catch me if you can**
LOL…thanks Peeps. I wear the 501’s with buttons. Zippers are dangerous.
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