“Statistics show distracted driving is now the second-leading cause of motor vehicle deaths on B.C. roads.” Right behind impaired? Then the fines and suspension should reflect the risk. Make the penalties the same as impaired.

but will they listen,
I think not unfortunately..
they haven’t so far so why would we the people think they are going to change now….

$1000 and 6 points first offence might get their attention….. maybe?

How about a minimum fine – $175.00 or 1% of your net income – which ever is greater.

But it seems pointless to me – you need enforcement for it to really matter. Seems most tickets in this town are written post-accident.

Seriously, we rode to Purden and back on bicycles – on a Sunday – you think over 6 hours we should have been passed by at least one patrol vehicle at some point – nope.

Just sit at the corner of 4th and Victoria – i.e., where the police station is, and you see pretty much every 10th vehicle with a phone glued to the ear. If you aren’t going to get caught, how much deterrent is a fine anyway.

Should be the same as impaired driving. People don’t hesitate if they see someone drinking alcohol while driving. We should all be as vigilant in reporting phone users behind the wheel.
With the modern cellphones, it would be quick and easy to take a picture of the perps as well as a license plate if you can catch it and text them to the RCMP.
You just never know, same with drinking drivers, if the someone that cellphone user collides with is going to be a member of your family or a friend.

Thankyou for the link to the survey.

“Ontario which has recently passed legislation changing the maximum fine from $500 to $1,000.”

Change that from a maximum to a minimum fine of $500+ and some actual enforcement. That might get their attention.

They having a cell phone blitz today? Saw tons of people pulled over by unmarked vans today

Have your say take the survey

We all know using your cell while driving is illegal..so what have the car companies started to do..make your vehicle wifi.. How stupid..now people can stream movies etc while driving..just great

Just think of waiting at a stop light behind someone watching a movie…

Hmmm… I wonder… if we asked for the results of the survey via the Access to Information Act, will they delete that information as well?

Aside from that dig, it’s about time they cracked down on distracted driving!

Give more wrote: “With the modern cellphones, it would be quick and easy to take a picture of the perps as well as a license plate if you can catch it and text them to the RCMP.”

Let me see, take a picture while driving

text to the rcmp while driving

LOL

Hopefully you won’t crash into him/her because you are distracted. Police catch two people at once.

Fine them all one hundred million dollars, that’ll take care of it.

I always get a kick out of the cops using their phones when driving, because somehow they have super powers and they can multi-task, but we can’t. Yeah, we know you aren’t solving major crime, but talking to your wives and boyfriends like the rest of us when on the phone…

So do I PG101, followed a cruiser up the Hart the other day, over the centre line back over to the fog, then changed to the fast lane , over the white dotted line and over to the no posts. I thought I’d run up to him and see what was up to and I’ll be damned if he wasn’t yappin on his cell phone. You have to remember they have been trained to multi task while driving.

I agree Dearth, The site is up and there is a lot of good comments there. I just heard on the news that someone in Vancouver was hit by a vehicle as they crossed a street; Texting on their phone!

I have seen this many times in PG. Pedestrians and cyclist glued to their cell phones. Unbelievable!

People really need to wake up. Changes will be coming

well you can’t drive away with a beer or bottle of rum in your hand if stopped so take the phone and give them a fine and the points

Most everyone I’ve spoken with since this was law was introduced has said the same thing… that the fines were NOT enough to deter distracted drivers. And now the government is essentially ADMITTING that they failed in providing the public with an effective law to protect innocent people.

If distracted driving is now the second-leading cause of motor vehicle deaths on B.C. roads then the government must accept responsibility for many of these deaths and it also proves beyond a doubt that the initial fine amounts were nothing but a joke. Why didn’t they start out with at least $1000.00? Why didn’t they create a pyramid system of increasing fines…

For example…
-1st offence $500.00 and vehicle towed for 7 days.
-2nd offence $1000.00 and vehicle towed for 30 days
-3rd offence $2000 and vehicle towed for 90 days and a 6 month ban from driving

There is no conceivable reason that people need to be chit-chatting away to the bestie while driving.

Our politicians need to grow some courage and provide us with the safety we deserve.

“Our politicians need to grow some courage and provide us with the safety we deserve.” Careful what you wish for. If they did we could have photo radar back.

I had no issues with photo radar at all and I would welcome it back its used in multiple provinces now so why not here again. IMO those who bitched the most about it were the ones who were speeding and despised being caught because it embarrassed them

on the van news last night, it was stated that distracted driving is NOW # ONE cause of traffic fatalities. if so, then the punishment should be the same as DUI. lets see the cops pull licences and impound cars the same as DUI’s.
as far as cops working on comp, etc while cruising, have seen it and the dopey driving on their part too. maybe everyone should get a GO PRO and start posting this crap. (they are a good tool for other things too)

newtechie, your ideas are good , similar to mine and a whole lot better than they presently are, but by the 3rd offence it should be a very very severe jail term and never allowed to drive again.

I don’t see what is so hard about staying off your phone for 10 to 15 minutes…. there are not too many places in this town you can’t get to in that time…

I agree with most of the comments that say fines should be increased, and yet I still see cops on the phone and there laptop, why are they exempt.