New Cell Phone Use Rules For Drivers To Be Enforced As of Monday

Thursday, January 28, 2010 12:14 PM

Prince George, B.C.- Time is running out to hook up a hands free device in your vehicle if you plan to drive and talk on your cell phone at the same time.

Although the new legislation came into effect January 1^st, enforcement has been held off for a full month to allow drivers time to adjust, and get word on the changes.

Effective Monday, the new legislation will be enforced. Sergeant Al Steinhauser of the Prince George detachment of the RCMP says officers won’t be out specifically looking for violators, “It will be catch as catch can, but the fines are significant.”

For Graduated License drivers, the use of any electronic device, including a hands fee communication device or other electronic device, carries a $167 dollar fine and three penalty points. For Graduated License drivers, this could also mean their license could be pulled.

All other drivers, could face a fine of $167 dollars and no penalty points if caught using a cell phone but not texting band the use of an electronic device to email or text carries a fine of $167 dollars and three penalty points. If there are penalty points involved, the driver’s license could be pulled by the Superintendant of Motor Vehicles.

Last Thursday, ICBC conducted a survey at the corner of 4^th and Victoria in Prince George and noted just three of the 350 drivers who passed, were on their phones. “That tells me people are getting the message” says Diane Poser of ICBC.

The legislation covers the following:

A driver must not hold, operate communicate or watch the screen of hand held electronic communication device,
A driver must not send or receive text messages or electronic email on any any type of electronic device
A driver must not hold, operate communicate or watch the screen of a hand held electronic communication device
A driver must not send or receive text messages or electronic email on any type of electronic device
A driver must not hold operate communicate or watch the screen of a hand held electronic computing device one of the purposes of which is to process or compute data.

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Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 12:14 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: acrider54 on January 28 2010 12:29 PM

So far I have seen five drivers yaking, three logging truck drivers, one dump truck driver and one guy in a pick up trying to put his seat belt on at the same time.

Posted by: taxinapothole on January 28 2010 12:56 PM

3 OUT OF 350? I Call B()S#!+. I am out on the road for 10 to 12 hours a night, and I see people talking on their cell phones on a regular basis. And most of them are doing something really stupid while driving and talking.

I have a "Bluetooth" now, and I love it. I never was one to talk on my cell when I drove, but now I can!

Most people that drive, have really BAD attitude towards what is going on around them. In a nut shell, they do not care about anybody outside of their "BUBBLE WORLD"

SO, you idiots that want to continue to talk and drive without a hands free device, have some consideration to your fellow person! The life you save, may be your own!!

This is a law that will be hard to enforce!

I would like to point out, that most people I see talking on their cell phones while driving are females. And to break that down further, females with an "N" on the back of their vehicle.

Posted by: Loki on January 28 2010 1:09 PM

VEN analysis
all drivers
some drivers talk on phone
some drivers that talk on phone are female
most drivers that talk on phone that are female are new drivers.

Conclusion: new female drivers talk on cell phone while driving.

Solution:

Posted by: MrPG on January 28 2010 1:26 PM

Just start handing out tickets and you'll see the numbers drop pretty quickly.

Posted by: Simon on January 28 2010 2:12 PM

"any electronic device". So when the police are driving and talking on the radio, are they breaking the law?

Posted by: interceptor on January 28 2010 3:40 PM

The legislation has exceptions for work related stuff - thier radios are fine as well as bush radios for forest roads, ham radio operators. etc. The legislation is alot more involved than the couple of bullet points in the news.

Posted by: BCRacer on January 28 2010 4:21 PM

Well Simon. you just pull them over and insist they give themselves a ticket...make sure you have about 3 hours of spare time...you'll need it....

Posted by: bair on January 28 2010 4:39 PM

Too bad dogs on laps weren't included! There wouldn't be much left of fluffy if the air bag went off!

Posted by: lightenup on January 28 2010 4:53 PM

The emergerncy services are exempted from this as they should be and for dogs that is a 167 dollar fine also - doesn't anyone read up on legislation no wonder the police have job security

Posted by: gus on January 28 2010 6:15 PM

"doesn't anyone read up on legislation"

to say that 1% of people do that would be pushing it......

most rely on the media or their friend or their co-worker or boss ... and I would be surprised if anywhere nesar to 5% of them "read up" on it.

And then I would be surprised if more than 1% of those who read it, actually understand it.

Posted by: agitprop on January 28 2010 8:02 PM

Conclusion: new female drivers talk on cell phone while driving.

Solution: crush the car, this should go for drinking and drugged out drivers also.

That will take one item out of the equation.

Posted by: Palopu on January 28 2010 8:28 PM

You would have to live 17 life times to be able to read all the Government rules and regulations covering all the laws, etc; in British Columbia. Plus all the other BS that you would have to go through.

They have rules and regulations coming out their ying yang. Even the Government Employees, MLA's Judges, Lawyers, etc; etc; have not read, nor do they understand everything that the Government has published over the years.

Absolute and total crap. Even the Police do not understand all laws, and certainly not the so-called Peace Officers.

We are over Governed, over regulated, and subject to way to many inane laws and fines.

At their present rate of progression the Government will soon be regulating your bowel movements.

Posted by: acrider54 on January 29 2010 5:42 AM

Palopu, you got that right!

Posted by: rambleon on January 29 2010 7:26 AM

There's just as many or more middle aged guys chatting on the phone while piloting their F350 as there are novice female drivers. Regardless, if talking on the phone is so imminently dangerous, and so many people do it on a regular basis, why aren't there more accidents? I rarely see even a fender bender around town.

You know who's dangerous out there? Old people lacking driving confidence. They drive too slow, straddle lanes and are so focused on the road ahead that everyone else needs to guess their next move. I suggest road testing seniors every 5 years from the time they turn 60.

Posted by: Palopu on January 29 2010 8:07 PM

Rambleon. You will probably continue to feel that way until you reach the age of 60.