During the past month, police in Summerland have been watching for distracted drivers on the roads.
March has been designated as Distracted Driving Month and police have been focussing on education and enforcement of B.C.’s distracted driving regulations.
Cpl. Christopher Richardson of the Summerland RCMP detachment said he and other police officers have seen too many cases of drivers who are not paying attention to the road ahead of them.
He said officers have noticed some motorists looking down, as if to see a text message from a phone on their lap or below dashboard level.
He has also seen other examples of distracted driving.
“I’ve seen people putting on makeup while driving. I’ve seen people reading books while driving. It’s mind-boggling,” he said.
Other distracted driving includes motorists who have their pets on their laps while driving and people eating while driving.
For cell phone and mobile device users, distracted driving regulations prohibit dialling, texting and scrolling while driving. Motorists who use earbuds while listening to music or talking on their phone may use one earbud, but not two.
The penalties are high.
As of June 1, 2016, fines increased from $167 to $368 and an extra four points were added to the penalty.
Distracted driving legislation has been in place for the past seven years, but Richardson said the problem continues.
Richardson added that he and other officers have noticed distracted driving from a wide range of motorists, from young drivers to seniors.
“Even with all the education around distracted driving, we continue to see people using their electronic devices while driving, and it is particularly concerning to me as police officer, who has over the years seen the devastating effects motor vehicle collisions can have, not only on families but also on communities,” he said.
“Driving is a skill that should not be underestimated, a few seconds of distraction can lead to deadly consequences. Although our enforcement focus for March has been on distracted driving, it will remain a priority throughout the rest of the year.”