OPP Distracted Driving Campaign
Posted Jul 11, 2011 02:51:39 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OPP officers are kicking off their second “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other, Distracted Driving Campaign.”
Starting today, officers will be stopping any drivers caught using a hand-held communications device. They will also be stopping people who drive carelessly because they are adjusting the radio, eating or searching for something in their vehicle.
Sgt. Carlos Goncalves tells 570 News that distracted driving has become such a habit in the last few years, it’s hard to break. However, it has been identified as one of the big 4 factors that have led to driving related injuries or death.
In 2010, there were more than 7,000 collisions on OPP-patrolled roads due to distracted driving resulting in 35 deaths and over 1,000 injuries.
Sgt. Goncalves would like to remind drivers that if you need to make a phone call use your hand free device or pull over to the side of the road or in a parking lot. The OPP charged 8,522 drivers last year for using a hand-held device while driving.
Using a cellphone could bring a $155 fine while a careless driving conviction ranges from $400 to $2,000.
