Penalties for distracted driving will soar
‘It’s easy to avoid getting one of these tickets. Just leave your phone alone’
The cost of a first-time distracted driving ticket in Saskatchewan will more than double once new penalties take effect this February.
“Many people continue to risk their lives and the lives of others on Saskatchewan roads by being complacent and choosing to ignore the laws,” Minister Responsible for SGI Joe Hargrave said at an announcement Tuesday afternoon. “Enough is enough. People need to get the message.”
Currently, the cost of a first offence distracted driving ticket is $280 plus four demerits, with vehicle seizures for repeat offenders.
As of Feb. 1, 2020, a first offence ticket will be more than double that, at $580 and four demerits.
A second offence within a year of being convicted of the first will bring a $1,400 ticket, an additional four demerits and an immediate seven-day vehicle seizure. Vehicle owners will be responsible for the towing and impound fees. Cost varies depending on mileage, but expect to pay about $400 at least, says the province.
A third offence within a year of conviction of the first will result in a $2,100 ticket, plus four more demerits and another seven-day vehicle seizure.
“Fortunately it’s easy to avoid getting one of these tickets. Just leave your phone alone,” said Hargrave, who is optimistic that the fines will be an effective deterrent.
He compared the situation to the increased fines for impaired driving. While the number of tickets are holding relatively unchanged due to increased enforcement, the number of deaths caused by impaired driving is down, he said.
Const. Mike (Hawkeye) Seel, who runs the popular Regina Police Service traffic unit Twitter account, is also hopeful the increased penalties will have people thinking twice.
“I see people holding in their hand for work purposes, whether it’s a cab driver with a cab app or it’s a map for GPS, people watching videos on their phone, texting. Everything you can do on a phone I’ve caught someone doing it,” Seel said.
On Monday, he even caught the same person twice within 10 minutes using a phone while driving, and issued two $280 tickets. Come Feb. 1, the fine will be $580 for each ticket instead.
Drivers who receive a second ticket before being convicted of the first offence will receive the first-offence fine again. If convicted of the first offence, they would be issued the $1,400 secondoffence fine.
“I feel like this will be a good deterrent for people,” Seel said during Tuesday’s announcement.
While the majority of distracted-driving charges involve cellphones, Seel said drivers can also get a ticket for driving without due care and attention — which includes things like driving with your dog on your lap and dipping your fries in ketchup if it distracts you from the road.
“The onus is on each and every driver in Saskatchewan to put their phone down and disconnect for the time they are behind the wheel,” said a statement from Sandra Larose, who lost her daughter in August in a distracted-driving incident. “I put my phone away in memory and honour of Kailynn, for the safety of myself and others, and for the ones that I love.”
Distracted driving or inattention is one of the top causes of collisions, injuries and fatalities on Saskatchewan roads, the province says. In 2018, it was a factor in more than 6,000 collisions, 774 injuries and 22 deaths.