WATCH: With the streets about to get busy with kids and parents heading to and from school police are reminding drivers to slow down, be cautious and put down the phones. Catherine Urquhart reports.
While the B.C. government reviews distracted driving penalties, Victoria is teaming up with ICBC and police to launch a month-long campaign coinciding with back to school.
ICBC says one in four deaths on B.C. roads involves distracted driving. This month, police officers will be at roadsides across B.C. looking for people on their phones, putting on makeup, eating or even driving with a dog in their lap.
The campaign will also feature new TV radio and online ads pointing out how much distracted driving takes attention off the road.
The government displayed a damaged vehicle covered with numbered phones at today’s press conference, representing the 437 people who died over a five-year period because of distracted driving.
ICBC says one in four deaths on B.C. roads involves distracted driving, and is now the second leading cause of car crash deaths in B.C., with 88 people killed each year on average.
Ontario recently passed legislation to change the maximum fine to $1,000. And in Nova Scotia, fines were increased from $176 to $234 for a first offence, and from $350 to $579 for any subsequent offences this February.
The government announced last month that they were likely to introduce legislation later this year raising the $167 limit in B.C.
“Distracted driving must be stopped so other families don’t have to endure such preventable tragedy. We know our penalties are too low –thousands of British Columbians stated as much during our month-long consultation – and our government is going to fix this,” said Attorney General Suzanne Anton in a statement.
READ MORE: Attorney General says they will “fix” low distracted driving penalties
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