Police across B.C. are ramping up distracted driving enforcement to remind people, more than a decade after legislation was introduced, to stay off their phones and pay full attention to the road.
“It is quite shocking still,” said Cst. Markus Anastasiades with Saanich Police. “Because we know that distracted driving is the leading cause of death or injury on our roads, even here in Saanich.”
According to ICBC, nearly half of British Columbians admit to using their phones while driving. Forty per cent of injuries in police-reported car crashes are due to distracted driving.
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“It’s not as relevant to the new technology we have in our cars and on our phones,” said Kyla Lee, a defence lawyer who deals with DUIs and distracted driving cases, among others.
“Using your phone to play music and pressing the shuffle button or skipping a song is no more dangerous than one touch to answer or take a call. But taking the call is allowed if the phone is mounted. Shuffling the song is not allowed, even if the phone is mounted. It makes no sense.”
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