A Vancouver defence lawyer is calling out the Surrey RCMP for incorrect messaging around distracted driving law.
Kyla Lee told the Now-Leader on Tuesday (March 14) part of the problem is ICBC and police are sending different messages about what’s legal and what isn’t.
“Nobody is trained or informed of the law, nobody’s actually clearing their comms through a lawyer who’s familiar with it,” said Lee, a criminal defence and impaired driving lawyer with expertise in defending distracted cases in court.
“The public messaging is incorrect. No wonder the public’s confused.”
On Thursday (March. 9), the Surrey RCMP and the Surrey Police Service joined forces with ICBC for “Operation Hang Up.” The campaign aims to remind drivers to leave their phones alone while driving.
The Surrey RCMP and Surrey Police Service were at Highway 10 and 152 Street looking for drivers on their phones.
During the campaign event, Sgt. Jason Barrett with Surrey RCMP’s traffic enforcement unit told media it is considered distracted driving for drivers to have their phone loose on the passenger seat.
“Under the motor vehicle act and regulations, it has to be affixed to your vehicle so it cannot move around because that also is a distraction,” Sgt. Barrett said.
Lee said this is not the case.