RCMP issue 146 distracted driving tickets during distracted driving month

North Vancouver

2023-04-13 14:45 PDT

Last month, officers from the across the province and particularly in North Vancouver took part in a month long intensified distracted driving enforcement. Fatal and serious injury motor vehicle collisions due to distracted driving are completely preventable and it’s the North Vancouver RCMP’s main priority to keep the roads safe for all users.

During the month of March, North Vancouver RCMP officers issued 146 tickets and 6 warnings for Use of Electronic Device while driving. Majority of the enforcement was conducted at high crash intersections across North Vancouver. In one instance, a single officer on a Police Motorcycle observed 3 different drivers for distracted driving at once and all three were issued tickets.

We still hear a lot of excuses from drivers about why they are using their phones. We most commonly see drivers checking their device when stopped at a red light. In those few seconds of distraction, a pedestrian could walk in front of your car, or another hazard could appear on the road that you may not be aware of, said Sgt. Denis Beaulieu of the North Vancouver RCMP Traffic Services. The best practice is to keep your phone safely stored away for the duration of your journey to avoid the temptation of using it.

Distracted driving is responsible for more than 25% of all car crash fatalities and is the second leading cause of fatal collisions in BC. Every year, an average of 77 people die in fatal motor vehicle collisions in BC because the driver was distracted or not paying attention.

ICBC data indicates that drivers are 3.6 times more likely to crash if they are using a hand-held phone.

Distracted driving is more than just using an electronic device but also includes other distractions such as personal grooming, eating/drinking, reading, unsecured pets, other passengers and not knowing your route. Doing any of these things while driving may cause your trip to end in tragedy.

In many cases during these latest enforcement initiatives, drivers were so distracted by using their phone that they only noticed a police officer standing beside their vehicle after the officer knocked on their window to capture their attention.

Released by

Cst. Mansoor Sahak

Email: mansoor.sahak@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: nvan.rcmp-grc.gc.ca (English only)

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