The good news is the Coquitlam RCMP’s crackdown on distracted driving last month saw a significant increase in the number of tickets handed out.
The bad news is drivers are still not getting the message about the dangers of using a phone while operating a motor vehicle.
Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said of the 750 tickets issued during the March campaign, 145 were for distracted driving. That number is up significantly from the same month last year, when 636 tickets were issued and only 72 were for distracted driving.
“In a way, it is not good that that many people are using their phones,” he said. “But we are hoping we are sending a message with this. Slowly, we are making that cultural shift. That’s what needs to happen.”
As part of the enhanced enforcement, additional Mounties were called in for overtime shifts. McLaughlin said the added resources enabled the detachment to free up officers to get creative when busting distracted drivers, deploying a bucket truck to spot motorists from above.
“It’s keeping that extra eye out and bringing in extra bodies whenever you can,” he said. “With that you have a little more flexibility.”
Still, many drivers are continuing to use their electronic devices even though the cost of getting caught is going up.
ICBC, which says an average of 78 deaths a year occur because of distracted driving, recently implemented a driver risk premium on offenders on top of the $368 fine issued by police.
That means a couple of distracted driving tickets in a year could cost a driver almost $2,000, with insurance premiums rising after every offence; as well, multiple violations could result in driving prohibitions.
@gmckennaTC
