A senior has been ordered to stay off the road for four months after Saanich police allege the 72-year old accumulated too many distracted driving tickets.
In a July 31 tweet, the Saanich PD Traffic unit wrote, “Just served a 72-year-old driver a four-month driving prohibition as they had too many use electronic device while driving tickets.”
Saanich Police claim the man had amassed a growing list of distracted driving infractions.
“The male driver had accumulated 15 points on his driver’s licence over the last couple of years,” Sgt. Julie Fast told Global News.
Fast says 12 of those points were “cell phone related,” which prompted a prohibition from the Motor Vehicle Branch.
A Saanich Police traffic officer ended up serving that four-month driving ban on the senior when the unit caught up with him last month.
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Under the Motor Vehicle Act section that deals with the use of electronic devices while driving, the fine for a single distracted driving violation ticket is $368, along with four penalty points that will be applied to a driver’s record.
Motorists who get two or more distracted driving convictions in a three-year period are also subject to a Driver Risk Premium (DRP), which is billed annually — and separate from insurance premiums.
The DRP increases for each additional conviction.
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Drivers with two or more convictions for using electronic devices while driving over a three-year period could pay as much as $2,000 in penalties in addition to their vehicle insurance premium.
An Aug. 1 tweet from Saanich PD Traffic refers to the alleged repeat distracted driver as a “72 yr old cell phone fanatic” and states the Traffic Safety Unit just wants everyone to be safe “and enjoy the beautiful weather responsibly.”