Sask. distracted driving charges up 197 per cent over 2016

Hang up the phone, because police in Saskatchewan have already caught hundreds of distracted drivers this year since new laws were introduced.

Sgt. Colin Glass from the Regina Police Service (RPS) traffic unit said that the reworded law, which took effect Jan. 1, removed a grey area in distracted driving enforcement.

“If a person is holding their phone, using their phone, our officers are more apt to lay a charge where they’re going to see a conviction,” Glass said.

Police across Saskatchewan charged 745 people were charged with distracted driving in January and February. This marks a 197 per cent year-to-date increase over 2016. Three hundred and seventy-eight people were charged in the same time frame, according to SGI.

In Regina, 260 people have been charged with distracted driving. Ninety-four people were charged in the first two months of 2016.

READ MORE: Regina police riding bus to target distracted drivers

“What people need to remember is that when they’re driving a car, they’re in charge of thousands of pounds of glass and steel, and that deserves your full attention,” SGI media relations manager Tyler McMurchey said.

READ MORE: Distracted driving target of SGI March traffic safety spotlight

SGI held a spotlight on distracted driving through the month of March. Police were also keeping a closer eye on the habit that month and statistics on charges will be released later this month.

Glass said there will be another province-wide police focus coming up in October. He added that gradually more people are realizing that behavior will not be tolerated.

“If your cellphone does ring, or you receive a text message, and you get that urge to pick up that phone and look at it, don’t,” Glass said.

“Just simply pull over to the side of the road, do it in a safe driving manner, or pull into a parking lot to check your messages. Because it’s simply not worth it.”

If someone is caught using a cellphone behind the wheel, they will face a $280 ticket and four demerit points on your license. A second offence in a year will include a seven-day vehicle impoundment.

In 2015, there were over 5,700 collisions linked to distracted driving, according to SGI. These collisions resulted in 36 deaths and over 800 injuries.

The new rules make it illegal to hold, manipulate, or look at an electronic device while driving. Exceptions are made for experienced drivers using a dash-mounted phone or GPS that can activated with one touch or voice commands.

Without Due Care and Attention

Of the 745 distracted driving charges in Saskatchewan so far this year, 78 per cent involved cellphones. The other charges link to people primarily being charged for driving without due care and attention.

“We realize people will be commuting day in and day out and there’s going to be distractions within the vehicle,” Glass said.

Glass said they aren’t on the lookout for people drinking a coffee while driving, but if a distraction causes is a contributing factor in a collision police may add the additional charge.

He added that a driving without due care and attention charge may be placed if a distraction causes someone to break another driving law, like not stopping at a red light.