Distracted driving penalties remains an issue still commonly seen across the province and country, notes the local RCMP detachment, which, along with St. Paul Municipal Enforcement, will be enforcing new penalties that have been introduced effective beginning this year.
The legislation will see anyone charged or convicted with distracted driving after Jan. 1 2016 receive three demerit points in addition to a $287 fine. Anyone who has been charged or convicted of distracted driving before January will receive the fine but no demerit points, states a St. Paul RCMP press release.
“The recent weather changes and poor road conditions in our area make this all the more important, especially for less experienced drivers,” it goes on to say.
MLA David Hanson describes adding the demerits as putting “more teeth” into the legislation.
“If it helps and they enforce it, then it can’t hurt.”
The law restricts drivers from: using hand-held cell phones; texting or emailing, even when stopped at a red light; using any electronic devices like a camera, laptop or video game; entering information on GPS units; reading, writing, printing or sketching; and any personal grooming, including brushing teeth, putting on makeup, curling hair, clipping nails or shaving.
Drivers engaged in any of these activities can be charged, even if their driving performance doesn’t appear to be affected. If a driver commits a violation while distracted, they would receive two tickets – one for distracted driving and one for the moving violation.
Should a driver receive too many demerit points, their driver’s license is suspended. Drivers in the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Program are suspended when they collect eight or more points. Fully licensed drivers are suspended when they collect 15 or more points.
