Saskatchewan police to focus on stopping distracted driving

Police in Saskatchewan say they plan to focus on distracted drivers in October.

Authorities will be using a variety of ways to catch drivers who are not paying attention to the road.

Tactics will include surveillance from unmarked vehicles and plainclothes officers watching from sidewalks.

In Regina, officers will ride transit buses so as to catch distracted drivers on the road.

Police will be on the lookout for drivers using hand-held cellphones to talk, text, email or browse online.

It is illegal for drivers in Saskatchewan to use, view, hold or manipulate a cellphone while driving — even holding a cellphone and not using it can still result in charges.

Police are reminding motorists that distracted driving isn’t limited to using a phone.

“If you are in control of a vehicle, anything that takes your attention away from the road is dangerous,” Saskatoon police Supt. Brian Shalovelo said in a Saskatchewan Government Insurance news release.

“If someone says they were picking up a CD on the floor when they lost control, that is distracted driving. Changing the radio station, smoking a cigarette, reading a map or your mail — these are all examples of how a driver can be distracted.

“We’ve even seen people watching Netflix while driving.”

The penalty for distracted driving is a $280 fine and four demerit points. Drivers caught for a second time within one year will have their vehicles seized for seven days.

“The average car or lightweight truck weighs over four thousand pounds,” said Regina police Chief Evan Bray.

“That is two tonnes of comfort and convenience to get you to your destination — or it’s two tonnes of steel and glass that can take your life, or someone else’s, if you lose control.

“Is there any text message, photo or music selection in the world that could be more important than a human life?”

Experienced drivers can only use a cellphone if it is mounted to a visor or dash. They must use the voice-activated or one-touch functions. Learner and novice drivers are not allowed to use a cellphone of any kind.

“The message is simple: put the phone away and encourage your friends and family to do the same,” said Earl Cameron, executive vicepresident of the SGI Auto Fund.

“Put it out of reach in your glove box, zip it up in your purse and put it in the back seat, or mount it on your dashboard and use it hands free if you’re an experienced driver.

“We all have a responsibility to make safe choices behind the wheel.”

The message is simple: put the phone away and encourage your friends and family to do the same.