Victoria Cracks Down on Distracted Drivers
Prince George, B.C. – Drop it and drive.
That’s the message today as the provincial government announced stiff new penalties for those who use their cell phones while behind the wheel.
As of June 1st it will cost you $543.
“The fine will be $368, up from $167,” says Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Morris. “In addition, the penalty points will increase to four from three. That will kick in the ICBC point program.”
He says a second offense in a 12-month period will cost offenders $888 – a $368 ticket plus a further $520 in penalty points with penalties escalating from there.
In addition, Morris says starting June 1st emailing or texting while driving will be considered “a high risk offense.”
He says those who receive two or more tickets within one year will have their driving records reviewed and face a three to 12-month driving prohibition.
Morris says graduated drivers will face possible prohibitions after a 1st offence. An ongoing education and awareness program was also announced to help encourage drivers to change the way they think about distracted driving.
The changes reflect what the government heard during their public input process last year in which 90% of respondents indicated they support stronger distracted driving penalties to make roads safer.
Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone estimates distracted driving killed over 80 people in B.C. last year.
Comments
Every second driver out there has their phone in their hands or on their lap while driving. This should be a gold mine for tax payers. Oh right, it will need to be enforced won’t it.
You seem to be distracted by watching what other drivers are doing in their car. In order to determine a 50% count you are most certainly distracted.
Keep you eyes on the road, the mirror to look behind you and your left and right blind spots.
Anything else is superfluous and unsafe.
If you knew what you’re talking about I’d say you were correct. You don’t, therefore you’re incorrect. I’d put my driving record and skill up against yours in a heart beat.
I seem to be distracted? Do you know anything about situational awareness?
You have to watch for Drangonmaster’s (sorry, Dumbfounded’s) marbles that he likes to chuck at tailgating cars.
Obviously you have lost your marbles faxman. I bet I know where they are. Some place dark and warm right?
If you aren’t looking around while you are driving you are doing it wrong.
This is good to see!
Will distracted driving also apply to those navigation, information screens built into the middle of the dash? They seem to be an over looked hazard.
Actually those screens are the preferred option as most have bluetooth and your phone goes through the car/truck/suv radio. A lot of GPS units have bluetooth phone as well. I think you are allowed to hit one button on the bluetooth device to call or answer but would have to check the regs, my GPS has a button on the screen to tap to accept a call
I think Seamutt means the fact that in order to drive these days one is provided with more information that they used to provide in Model-Ts.
More and more they will be turned into heads-up displays. However, there is a limit of info one can provide without that info becoming distracting to the driver.
Pilots have a lot of instrumentation. They also have co-pilots in larger planes.
HUD is preferred as you do not have to look down to see your speed as you drive
Doesn’t really matter if cops are not out enforcing!!!
We need an alarm which sounds when a phone is in use while the car is moving. I realize that others in the car would also not be able to use the phone unless something is found to circumvent that.
The same monitor could also disable the phone while the car is moving.
You can use a phone while the car is in motion just not in your hand
cellcontrol.com/stop-texting-while-driving-for-your-family
seek and ye shall find
Boudicca the police enforce it lots of tickets are written every day in town the problem is there are some many officers to go around and in case you haven’t noticed this is a fairly spread out city and the police can’t be everywhere but you can do something about it if you care to do something about it
Write down the license plate of the vehicle and basic description of the vehicle and of who was driving (hair colour, glasses, male or female and so on) then call the local detachment at 250-561-3300 and ask for dispatch and give them the information
But then again you could very well be one of those arm chair bandits that wants to complain but do nothing about it it’s your choice you now have the information it’s up to you on what you want to do with it
What do you think that will do?
You could very well be reporting someone who’s hands are just up to their ear. I been mistakenly thought this of some drivers.
This is just another tax grab by ICBC..
Todd Stoner should go back to ICBC and tell them to pay out what they supposed to instead of weasling much needed funds from the injuries
Yeah, whe you’re driving, take notes, and then call the cops to give them information that they don’t care about.
unless the cop is right beside someone it is hard to catch the person in the act, people just need to smarten up and think of others, clearly they don’t care about the danger it causes themselves.
There’s other distracted driving moments out there that don’t involve smartphones. I’ve seen women putting on mascara while driving, and I’ve lost count how many times I’ve seen people driving with a dog on their lap. I’d like to see these kinds of distractions penalized with the same vigor.
Yeah or how about the police who talk on their phone? Or are using their comasters while driving. Oh wait they are excluded because somehow they have special traiNing. Guess what they don’t, they just get a freebee to do as I say, not as I do.
The Governments White paper on distracted driving a few years ago, stated that there is no difference between the distraction from using a Bluetooth and the distraction from talking on a handheld device.
They then made talking on hand held devices illegal, however did nothing about the blue tooth.
So, what’s with that. Seems they are condoning the use of the blue tooth even though it is dangerous.
the increase in the fines is a good start, now add a zero to them all, that might get their attention.
Turn the Phone off before you drive, simple yes.
Most navigation systems have features in place making the use of many of their functions – ie searching for an address – locked when the vehicle is in motion.
As for bluetooth, hands free etc, does it pose more of a distraction than talking to a passenger or turning around to scold your three screaming banshee children in the back seat?
Maybe some of the built in navigation systems might lock when moving but what I wonder about is that screen being in the middle of the dash. That screen now is the center of heating, audio and other controls. When functions are controlled by a simple knob for example, it only took a glance but now one has to flip screens, watching for the correct screen and then watching it intently so the correct part of the screen is touched for the function you want. All this takes longer than simply glancing for the correct knob. Eyes are now directed off the road for a longer period of time then also add in the added complexity of some screens.
I have yet to see one do heating, but nav, audio, tire pressure, reset the oil change alarm, sat radio, dvd, etc. I am not sure how many people flip screens while driving, ours stays on audio or dvd most of the time, can’t do anything with the others while not in park. Talk about annoying, you have to pull over and even set the ebrake in the Infinity so the kids can change the dvd in the back.
Very happy with the increase. Well done! Givemore, where are you on this?
Sitting at an intersection, observing the other drivers is not a distraction! can count up to 20 driver on any giving day that are yacking on their phones or texting etc. There is a need to get these people off the roads ASAP!The only ones that might dispute this new law are the ones that can not break the habit!! Guess what! Leave it or loose it.
“Morris says graduated drivers will face possible prohibitions…”
As far as this dangerous distracted driving matter goes the word “possible” should not be used as an option! Be tough and say emphatically that graduated drivers WILL face prohibitions, i.e. definite consequences! No wriggle room!
I can’t believe so many of you people can’t drive and talk on the phone. You guys need to go and get a refresher driving course.
And I bet you think you are a really good drunk driver….hey navigator 11 ?
Seems to be a valid point, there is nothing wrong with talking on the phone while driving. Texting is another story. The only thing I don’t like about bluetooth is it interrupts the entire sound system until the call is over yet the dvd does not pause for the kids. Should be liked to pause all operations until the call is finished.
What about truck drivers using their radios, they need them as much as the police do.
I was almost hit while on my motorbike by someone texting on their phone. The next day I am coming up to a red light and the women in the car beside me was texting on her phone. Since her window was down, I let her know that I was almost hit the day before by someone doing the exact same thing. She had the nerve to finger me like I was in the wrong. Meanwhile, her little girl (maybe 4 yrs old) was in the back seat witnessing her mother flipping me the bird. Some ppl just don’t get the danger in it cause all they think about is them.
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