More than 900 people were caught driving distracted in June

The results from last month’s Traffic Safety Spotlight on distracted driving are in: during June, law enforcement across the province reported 919 distracted driving offences –798 were for cell phone use. That means 87% of distracted driving offences involved cell phone use.

With numbers like that, it’s no wonder that SGI and law enforcement continue to focus their efforts on distracted driving. Last month, SGI released a new multi-media ad campaign to address distracted driving and to show the human impact.

The message of the campaign is clear: distracted driving kills – don’t miss out on life. Visit www.sgi.sk.ca/ distracted-driving-kills to see the new campaign.

The fine for driving distracted is $280, plus four demerit points under the Safe Driver Recognition program. And, if you get two cell phone tickets within a year, your vehicle will be towed and impounded for a week.

But it’s more than just the financial cost if you’re caught driving distracted (and with strong enforcement on our roads, the odds of getting caught are highly likely).

For some, it’s the physical cost of being injured in a distracted driving collision – distracted driving is still a leading cause of injury on Saskatchewan roads.

For others, it’s the emotional cost of losing a loved one in a distracted driving collision.

It’s just not worth it. Leave the phone alone – keep it in your purse, your glove box, the backseat. Keep your eyes on the road, avoid distractions, and #JustDrive.

Law enforcement also reported the following offences as part of the monthly Traffic Safety Spotlight:

-7,040 tickets for speeding/ aggressive driving

-367 impaired driving offences, including 325 Criminal Code charges

-590 tickets regarding seatbelts/car seats