NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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KIRKLAND LAKE – The Ontario Provincial Police Distracted Driving Campaign begins Saturday, March 14 and runs through to Friday, March 20, 2015.
Members of the Kirkland Lake Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Detachment are participating in this important road safety initiative.
Officers will be focusing on distracting driving and educating road users in an effort to change driving behaviour and save lives.
Distracted drivers are a safety risk to themselves and others.
Studies show that a driver using a cell phone is four times more likely to be in a crash than a driver focused on the road.
Other studies show that dialing and texting carries the highest degree of risk of a cell phone related collisions.
Distracted driving can be defined as any activity which takes a driver’s attention away from driving and can include: adjusting the stereo; taking photographs while driving; watching television or other entertainment devices.
Just holding the device in your hand constitutes as distracted driving.
The fine for driving while distracted is $280.
Drivers who drive without due care and attention and allow themselves to be distracted by other activities can also be charged with more serious offence of Careless Driving, pursuant to Section 130 of the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario.
Fine for Careless driving range from $490 to $2,000 results in a licence suspension of up to two years and/or a jail term of not more than six months.
Distracted Driving continues to be a serious issue on our roads. Last year (2014) 288 people died on our roads and driver inattention as a causal factor accounted for the highest number of fatalities when compared to speeding, impaired driving and lack of seatbelt use.
- Driver inattention-related death: 73
- Speed-related death: 61
- Lack of seat belt use: 50
- Impaired-related death: 46
Drivers may place emergency calls to the police, fire department and emergency medical services.
If possible, drivers should pull off the road before making an emergency call.
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