EYES ON THE ROADS
POLICE TARGET DISTRACTED DRIVERS
Calgary drivers should think twice before sending that text message or reapplying a fresh coat of nail polish while behind the wheel.
Starting Monday, city officers are launching a weeklong blitz to curb the “bad habit” that has started creeping up since legislation came into effect in September 2011 to crack down on distracted driving, said Staff Sgt. Michael Watterston with the traffic section.
“This year, on average, our officers have written over 500 tickets per month for distracted driving. So we know this is a behaviour that continues,” Watterston told reporters on Wednesday. “People just aren’t getting the message, so it’s time to ramp it up, so to speak.”
From Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, uniformed and plainclothes officers will work together to nab distracted drivers. Plainclothes officers will drive down major roadways to catch offending motorists, then radio the information to uniformed officers, who will stop vehicles and issue the appropriate fine or warning.
Watterston said distracted driving includes the use of hand-held cellphones, programming GPS units, reading, writing, grooming and even playing musical instruments — something police have witnessed in the past. The offence comes with a $172 ticket.
This is the first time the police service is launching such a public and aggressive crackdown on distracted drivers, said Watterston, adding the service is pulling in resources from district offices to help with the blitz.
However, Calgary police will not be posing as homeless people or construction workers in their sting, tactics that have been employed by other jurisdictions.
This past summer, Edmonton officers issued 22 distracted driving tickets using the so-called “hobocop” tactic, in which a plainclothes officer — wearing a blue hoodie and beige cap — held up a sign that read: “Hello, I am a police officer, if you are on your cellphone right now, you are about to get a ticket.”
Watterston said next week, Calgary officers will also be on the lookout for other traffic infractions, which sometimes go hand in hand with distracted driving, such as failing to signal lane changes, making unsafe lane changes, speeding, following too closely, driving left of centre, failing to obey traffic controls, careless driving and failing to yield to a pedestrian. The fines for these offences range from $115 to $575.
With the winter season in full swing, and the roads covered with snow, it’s important now more than ever for motorists to put all their concentration on driving, Watterston said.
“It takes one lapse in attention or something beyond your control that happens in front of the motor vehicle, and you’re not able to react in time,” he said. “Somebody gets hurt, a collision happens and a fatality could happen.”
Last month, Transportation Minister Ric McIver said the province was looking at different strategies to increase the “too low” compliance rate with the distracted driving law and was considering turning to demerit points.
Watterston said the police service supports using demerit points, “anything that enhances our current legislation.”