Coquitlam cops are taking their efforts to nab distracted driving scofflaws to new heights.
Monday morning, Mounties used the elevated vantage point of a lift bucket on the back of a truck parked along Kingsway Avenue in Port Coquitlam to pick off people using cellphones illegally while driving.
Cpl. Mike McLaughlin of Coquitlam RCMP, said the view down into vehicles from the lift truck, and from the raised platforms of some of the city’s SkyTrain stations, is one of the special techniques the force is deploying throughout a month-long campaign to crack down on distracted driving.
McLaughlin said drivers wary of spot checks along the road have resorted to keeping their electronic devices low in their vehicles, out of sight from the curb. But peering down through windshields from on high means there’s no place in the driver’s lap or centre console to hide.
“Drivers know we’re looking for them now,” McLaughlin said.
But many 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.
Cpl. Quentin Frewing of Coquitlam RCMP’s traffic section said in addition to being more effective in catching distracted drivers, the elevated vantage points are safer for officers.
“When you are distracted, you completely lose situational awareness,” Frewing said, adding he has almost been run over while walking in front of a stopped vehicle in which the driver was paying more attention to his cellphone than the light turning green.
McLaughlin said the officers working the lift truck received safety training, including wearing a helmet and safety harness. When the officer spots an offender, he radios to colleagues up the road, who then pull over the driver.
McLaughlin said some of those caught were upset and complained the new tactic is unfair. But the effort also elicited smiles and friendly waves.
He said the detachment has a few other tricks up its sleeve for the coming weeks, including extra officers coming in on overtime to step up enforcement. A typical month might see 130 tickets issued for distracted driving and Cell Watch volunteers might spot that number again during their observations.
McLaughlin said the force will collect the data through the campaign to see if those numbers increase with the help of the new tactics.
