B.C. government announces stiffer penalties for distracted driving

[R. Mutt]

British Columbia is cracking down on distracted drivers, announcing on Wednesday stiffer penalties for activities such as talking on mobile phones or texting.

B.C. Justice Minister Suzanne Anton said effective Oct. 20, penalty points for drivers who are caught talking on a hand-held device while driving will be increased from zero to three demerits.

This new penalty, which also covers infractions like watching a DVD, programming a phone’s GPS, and operating hand-held audio players, is being combined with the $167 fine already in place for talking on mobile phones.

Penalty points remain on person’s driving record for five years and can result in further penalties, including prohibitions from driving.

The penalty for anyone who receives more than one distracted driving ticket in a year is at least $634, Anton said, the equivalent of two fines and a $300 penalty premium for six points.

Driver penalty points are separate from Autoplan insurance premiums and those caught for these infractions will be billed even if they don’t own or insure a vehicle.

The premium ranges from $175 for four points to $24,000 for 50 or more points, according to the Insurance Corp. of B.C.

Anton said the province will continue to look at whether to increase fines for distracted driving and will consider fine amounts in other provinces. Ontario, for instance, is considering raising the fine for texting to up to $1,000 from the $60 to $500 range.

“I’m very concerned that distraction in all forms is the second-highest contributing factor in motor vehicle fatalities in B.C. It’s clear that the $167 fine is not enough on its own, so we’re starting by targeting those people who are talking on a hand-held device while they’re driving with more severe penalties,” said Anton, in a statement.

“Ticket volumes show us that more drivers are ticketed for talking on an electronic device than for texting and driving, and so that is where we decided to start with the new penalty points.”

Distracted driving, especially texting and talking on phones, has become a serious problem over the last decade with the introduction of smartphones and has been the subject of recent campaigns by the Vancouver police, ICBC and the RCMP to educate the public about the dangers and fatality rates.

ICBC is raising rates 5.2 per cent for all drivers, citing a $500-million increase in injury claims for distracted driving in the past five years.

Distracted driving was blamed for 81 deaths on B.C. roads in 2012, while 55 were attributed to impaired driving. Speeding is still the top cause of deaths on B.C. roads.

There were 51,000 B.C. drivers sanctioned last year for distracted driving.

B.C. government announces stiffer penalties for distracted driving



Seems quite strict but I'm glad! Can't tell you how many people I see blatantly talking on their phones or texting while driving.

[meme405]

Greaaaattttt.

More tickets for people at red lights who are texting, because the fear of a spontaneously exploding vehicle is real...

Meanwhile those on the highway will continue to get away with it, and cause accidents and kill people, cause police can't (or won't try) to adequately enforce the real intent of the law...

EDIT: Seriously 51,000 tickets written last year for distracted driving. I would like to know how many of these occurred at red lights, or stop signs.

[320icar]

My favorite is ppl who put their iPhones on speakerphone but still hold it with one hand in the air. Hey dumbass, it's called HANDS FREE

[Ulic Qel-Droma]

why don't we just cut their hands off, then they can never commit the crime again!!!

the numbers will lower, because the ones that choose to text and drive will just become much more sneaky and better at it.

[Gumby]

Serious question - can you still get a ticket if you are pulled over to the right side of the road, stopped (but engine on), and using your cell phone?

[vantrip]

Originally Posted by Gumby

Serious question - can you still get a ticket if you are pulled over to the right side of the road, stopped (but engine on), and using your cell phone?

Yes as long as the vehicle is in park and your parked safely off to the side

[Hondaracer]

good, its like i said in another thread, want it to stop? hit people HARD

it really is an epidemic, not too long ago i saw an older couple, probably 45-55 driving on the highway, the man was driving woman in passenger seat, BOTH were on their phones, like wtf..

[pinn3r]

Originally Posted by Gumby

Serious question - can you still get a ticket if you are pulled over to the right side of the road, stopped (but engine on), and using your cell phone?

a buddy of mine got ticketed while we were just sitting in his car chatting, with keys in the ignition, everything off. He had his L at the time, so the officers ticketed him for the possibility of driving without an N. Officer told us to take the keys out of the ignition next time

you'll probably have to read through the BC's Motor Vehicle Act to ascertain

[meme405]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

good, its like i said in another thread, want it to stop? hit people HARD

it really is an epidemic, not too long ago i saw an older couple, probably 45-55 driving on the highway, the man was driving woman in passenger seat, BOTH were on their phones, like wtf..

No. The way enforcement of this law works, is completely broken. The police only ever target people who are at the low end risk of the totem pole. They only target drivers at stoplights.

This only perpetuates the problem, as now instead of only quickly glancing at their cell phones at a red light, people get scared of receiving a ticket. So instead now they wait to check their phones and fire off that text message until they drive away from the intersection with the police doing checks...

Seems stupid and ridiculous, but its the truth.

Think about it this way, a cars navigation system cannot be programmed while rolling but as soon as you come to a stop it allows you to continue using the functions. This is exactly how the law should be interpreted, and enforced.

[Hondaracer]

If you're checking it at a light you're Probsbly checking it while driving.

[meme405]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

If you're checking it at a light you're Probsbly checking it while driving.

Okay, fine argument, although I can tell you that was definitely not the case with me.

But I can counter by saying, that the people that do both will simply continue to do it while driving, and they will check their phones more often while driving now because they can't do it while safely stopped at a red light.

[vitaminG]

considering what you can do with factory in car nav systems now i dont really see the point of this law unless they ban any screen in a car.

in any case its best to be informed. I noticed the PDF says its ok to use a "one touch" hands free device, but the law itself says nothing about that.

Distractions While Driving: Cell Phones and other Devices - Road Safety Rules and Consequences of Unsafe Driving - RoadSafetyBC

http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/osmv/share...le-driving.pdf

[kross9]

don't mind me shaving, changing shirts and a having a full meal all while driving... and still not be considered distracted driving...

Like Meme has said, they mostly target people who are stationary at a red light not driving along.

[iEatClams]

^ hey, how many of us have missed lights because the idiots in front of us was busy texting and didnt see the light turn green ? Seems to be occurring more often.

distracted driving seems to be affecting us more and more now.

[willystyle]

All of this will be ancient when Google begins to commercially mass produce fully-automated self-driven cars in a few years.

[tiger_handheld]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

good, its like i said in another thread, want it to stop? hit people HARD

it really is an epidemic, not too long ago i saw an older couple, probably 45-55 driving on the highway, the man was driving woman in passenger seat, BOTH were on their phones, like wtf..

They will never get caught by this law.

[kross9]

^^ I see what you did there!

Originally Posted by willystyle

All of this will be ancient when Google begins to commercially mass produce fully-automated self-driven cars in a few years.

I really wonder if Google Glass counts too??

[MarkyMark]

Yeah this law is bullshit, I see cops at intersections all the time giving tickets for people texting, because that's where the high speed distracted collisions always happen. It's about as useful as ticketing drivers cruising at 10km over the limit on their way home from work claiming speed kills.

If they really cared about it more than just the revenue it brings in they'd target the people actually being unsafe. Go cruise up and down the highway in a undercover vehicle and pull over one of the many people who are looking down at their laps texting while going 120km/h, they're everywhere.

[BoostedBB6]

Were enforcing this law because it is not safe for you to operate your electronic devices while driving......but its fine for us because somehow it is safer is you have a badge and a gun to be able to work your laptop, radio and cell phone all while driving your car that has switches you need to be pressing to pull that guy you just ran on your computer, radioed in and txt'ed your partner about......yeah makes total sense.

Spidey made a valid point in another thread about officers having privileges the average person may not, but to enforce a law that is for our safety and yet do those exact things that make it unsafe makes no sense.

Where is the statistic about distracted police officers involved in accidents due to there electronic distractions. They are MORE distracted than a person changing there song or txting a buddy and pose a GREAT risk to other road users because of it.

[Ch28]

The best one is when you drive beside a police cruiser and they're typing away on their laptop with one hand.

[boibuddha]

I don't see what all this complaining is about. No text is that important, regardless of who you are. If someone needs to reach you, they'll call.

There is no need to check your phone; even though your mommy may call you special, you aren't special enough to endanger people by taking your eyes off the road. Enough people get into accidents themselves while rubbernecking another accident on the road, we don't need to throw texting into the equation.

People can afford a nice bluetooth deck vs the price of a ticket these days. Maybe I was scared straight after riding as a passenger with a texting driver; too many close calls for my comfort. I think it's best we get rid of these drivers with heavy fines.

[BoostedBB6]

Originally Posted by boibuddha

I don't see what all this complaining is about. No text is that important, regardless of who you are. If someone needs to reach you, they'll call.

There is no need to check your phone; even though your mommy may call you special, you aren't special enough to endanger people by taking your eyes off the road. Enough people get into accidents themselves while rubbernecking another accident on the road, we don't need to throw texting into the equation.

People can afford a nice bluetooth deck vs the price of a ticket these days. Maybe I was scared straight after riding as a passenger with a texting driver; too many close calls for my comfort. I think it's best we get rid of these drivers with heavy fines.

Dont disagree there, I dont think ANYONE should be doing these things while driving. Including the Police. If its dangerous for me its dangerous for them.

[pinn3r]

Originally Posted by Ch28

The best one is when you drive beside a police cruiser and they're typing away on their laptop with one hand.

from BC's Motor Vehicle Act

Exceptions to prohibition — emergency personnel
214.3 Section 214.2 does not apply to the following persons who use an electronic device while carrying out their powers, duties or functions:

(a) a peace officer;
(b) a person driving or operating an ambulance as defined in the Emergency Health Services Act;
(c) fire services personnel as defined in the Fire Services Act.

[68style]

The worst is all the cars that have functions on them to read your damn texts out on a screen... I mean way to get busted by the wife talking to LG's, leave it to a bunch of engineers to not even consider that shit.

[BoostedBB6]

Originally Posted by pinn3r

from BC's Motor Vehicle Act

Exceptions to prohibition — emergency personnel
214.3 Section 214.2 does not apply to the following persons who use an electronic device while carrying out their powers, duties or functions:

(a) a peace officer;
(b) a person driving or operating an ambulance as defined in the Emergency Health Services Act;
(c) fire services personnel as defined in the Fire Services Act.

The exception is there, but it does not make it safe for them to do so.

I have seen, on two separate occasions, a police officer get in an accident because of these distractions. They want to make the road a safer place but in doing so they end up being part of the problem.