A new survey by insurance company Kanetix.ca and polling firm Leger Marketing revealed that eight out of 10 Canadians believe that texting and driving should be criminalized. More than 50 percent believe that any form of distracted driving should be illegal.
Just last month Ontarios distracted driving fines increased by more than $100 and drivers could now face fines of nearly $300 if caught using their cell phone or other handheld device.
According to Toronto Police Const. Clint Stibbe, despite distracted driving laws being in place, traffic officers are still writing thousands of tickets. An estimated 55,000 distracted driving tickets were issued in Ontario between 2010 and 2012.
The Ontario Provincial Police reported that 78 people were killed in distracted driving collisions in 2013, which is more than the number of deaths linked to driving under the influence.
Ontario just proposed even tougher legislation that could increase the fines to range from $300 to $1,000 and hit drivers convicted of distracted driving with three demerit points. If increases are made then perhaps drivers would then be more inclined to follow the rules of the road.
Currently, eight provinces have passed legislation that couples demerit points with distracted driving tickets; in Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, using your cell phone while driving could cost you four demerit points.
According to the Ministry of Transportation, a driver using a cell phone is four times more likely to be involved in an accident than a focused driver.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by a careless driver, contact a Windsor auto accident lawyer from Greg Monforton & Partners at (866) 320-4770. You may be entitled to compensation for property damage, medical expenses and more.
Greg Monforton & Partners – personal injury lawyers serving Windsor, ON since 1981.