How many times have you had a snack behind the wheel, chatted with a passenger in your vehicle, checked your cellphones. Bc introduced its distracted driving legislation five years ago. What you need to know about distracted driving following. Toronto as we usher in another decade, a number of new laws and rules will come into effect in 2020 that may have an impact on your way of life. Police have indicated they will be ticketing any driver caught using a smart watch behind the wheel. Supreme court ruling sets strict standard for distracted. The facebook post showing coming changes to distracted driving legislation on feb 1, 2020 is 100 percent false, mike halskov, a bc rcmp traffic services officer told afp in an email.
What you need to know about distracted driving following the. In british columbia, bill gipps, ve7xs, together with two local amateurs chris scholefield, ve7qcs and dave miller, ve7hr, met several times with representatives of the bc government to discuss bc distracted driving regulations and their application to amateur radio. Oct 01, 2019 a driver in her 70s has learned that you cant leave your phone charging in your vehicles cup holder, even if it is set up for handsfree features. Supreme court judge ruled that having a cellphone in the vicinity of a driver wasnt against the law. Hope latham, a spokeswoman for the bc ministry of public safety, told afp, there are no changes planned to bc s distracted driving laws at this time.
Supreme court ruling may have helped to clarify a major part of the provinces distracted driving laws, but many questions still remain. Distracted driving in bc distracted driving is responsible for more than 25% of all car crash fatalities and is the second leading cause of fatal collisions in bc. Distracted driving consultation province of british columbia. However, ontario and british columbia have banned the use of handheld electronic devices while driving. The bill was approved by the full district of columbia council in january 2004 and was signed into law by mayor anthony a. Yes, stricter driving laws really do make us safer the. For some offences or convictions such as excessive speeding and distracted driving, a driver risk premium may apply in addition to fines and points. On june 1, 2017, the distracted driving laws in british columbia will change, and the fines and penalties for those caught driving while distracted will increase significantly. Bc considers higher fines for distracted driving as. At the moment, no province or territory has made the use of handsfree cell phones while driving illegal. It can be hard to fight against a distracted driving ticket. Jan 29, 2020 there will be no changes to driving laws in bc or alberta on february 1, 2020. The latest distracted driving ticket to get tossed out by a b. Supreme court has upheld the strict enforcement of the provinces distracted driving laws.
All licensed drivers have been taught the rules for driving safely, including no tailgating, signal before turning and not mixing drinking alcohol and driving. Police sources have confirmed that canadas new driving laws, which received royal assent earlier this year, will officially take effect in every province on feb. The legislation does not permit touching the device to play music, and should only be done. Furthermore, alberta has extended its ban of handheld electronics to also include. Additional information, programs and resources on distracted driving. California made no changes to distracted driving laws in 2019. They all have no issues with use of a radio under these circumstances. The distracted driving safety act was introduced by councilmembers kathy patterson, sandy allen, harold brazil and carol schwartz, and council chair linda cropp.
It is important to remember that even if states do not have laws directly related to distracted driving, the act of driving distracted leads to driving behavior that is illegal, such as reckless driving and other traffic violations. Distracted driving and sar hand held radios illegal. Is using a smart watch considered distracted driving. Supreme court ruling sets strict standard for distracted driving. As canada enters not just a new year but an entirely new decade, the country will see a number of new laws coming into effect. Sometimes its hard to resist the temptation and not answer it, but there are laws prohibiting the usage of cell phones while driving in california unless theyre used in handsfree mode. Jan 22, 2020 recently some online media have posted fake news stories and posts stating that the distracted driving law is changing to be more strict. Distracted driving literally means anything that distracts you from the road and the task at hand of driving safely. Other claims were made about the new policies coming into effect on february 1, 2020, which is. Amateur radio and distracted driving legislation delta. Every ticket for distracted driving also adds four driver penalty points to your driving. Psa, along with tips, facts and other information about distracted driving laws and prevention, can be found at.
Distracted driving refers to driving while participating in activities that. Drivers will not only feel the financial burden if pulled over for this violation, but common sense dictates that distracted driving is also a severe hazard for pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers. Effective june 1, a firsttime distracted driving ticket in b. For the most uptodate information on covid19, please visit the bccdc website. Use of electronic devices while driving regulation bc laws. Distracted driving refers to the act of driving while engaging in other activities which distract the driver s attention away from the road. This material is intended to help radio amateurs navigate the complexity of bc legislation and locate the resources necessary to make your own determination of the distracted driving law. If youre injured by a distracted driver, the team of lawyers at diamond and diamond is ready to help.
Look up the amount of a fine or number of driver penalty points for a traffic or driving offence. In ontario, deaths from collisions caused by distracted driving have doubled since 2000. In addition to banning handheld communication devices, british columbia and ontario also ban the use of handheld electronic. Below is a synopsis of handheld cell phone legislation in canada. With increased enforcement in communities throughout b. New law cracks down on distracted driving british columbia. Sep 20, 2019 bcs distracted driving legislation also prohibits drivers in the graduated licensing program from using all handheld electronic devices, including handsfree. The distracted driving legislation in bc actually allows for using a radio, as long as the mic is ptt and the radio is securely attached to the vehicle or your person. Other actions such as eating, drinking, grooming, smoking, reading and reaching for objects are not part of ontarios distracted driving law. A person visiting alberta who is authorized to drive a motor vehicle of a particular class or type under a valid licence or permit issued outside alberta is not required to hold a current and valid operators licence if the person drives the.
Rcmp in british columbia distracted driving legislation. Nhtsa leads the fight nationally against distracted driving by educating americans about its dangers and partnering with the states and local police to enforce laws against distracted driving that help keep us safe. The distracted driving rules in british columbia are not clear and this leads to continuous problems on how the law is being enforced, lee. Call our 247 injury hotline at 1800567hurt or visit our website to speak to someone now.
Toronto as we usher in another decade, a number of new laws and rules will come. The acquittal is the latest in a string of rulings that have seen judges take issue with how the act s section on distracted driving, now 10 years old, is. The same texting while driving laws in ca pertain to commercial and standard vehicle operators. Doroshenko estimates there are hundreds of drivers in british columbia that could now have a good chance at appealing their distracted driving convictions on similar grounds, under legislation. These new canadian laws for 2020 cover a wide range of areas that include vaping regulations, health coverage, and even having your dog on a patio. As a result, all 10 provinces in canada have some form of cell phone distracted driving legislation in place. In british columbia, regulating driver behaviour is the mandate of roadsafetybc. Although much of the discussion about distracted driving focuses on handheld electronic devices such as cellphones,toronto police say the offence applies to any action that a driver engages in. Brian brodie, president of the bc medical association. However, the act of texting and driving is illegal and motorists who violate this law may receive a traffic ticket from local law enforcement officials. Distracted driving risks the endangerment of both life and property, where either levels of injury or loss are unacceptable. Keep in mind, distracted driving is a traffic violation under b.
According to the bc rcmps ongoing awareness campaign this month on what qualifies as distracted driving, snacking is a prime example. Since my sar group issues radios to all team members, which we regularly use to coordinate while responding to a task, this is of particular concern to me. This is in contrast with what bc s laws state, and were confident that in many cases innocent drivers will be ticketed for legally using their smart watches. As physicians, we often see the consequences of those injured in a car crash because a distracted driver was using a cellphone, said dr. Nov 06, 2017 british columbia to increase penalties for distracted drivers next year open this photo in gallery. Nhtsas campaigns and public service announcements make the case to americans that safe driving means driving without distractions. Oct 24, 2017 ticketed for distracted driving for using a smart watch. If there was any doubt about leaving your phone alone while driving, a decision by a b. The law prohibits the use of any handheld electronic device and you can also be. What you need to know about distracted driving following the b. As a result, all ten provinces and two of the three territories in canada have some form of cell phone distracted driving legislation in place.
I have discussed this with persons with the rcmp traffic division, icbc and even a crown council. Alberta expands its legislation beyond handheld electronic devices to include other forms of driver distraction, including eating, drinking, reading, writing and personal grooming. In bc, distracted driving is referred to as use of electronic device while driving in the motor vehicles act. According to icbc, approximately 960 crashes occur every day in b. Get the facts, get involved, and help us keep americas roads safe. If you are involved in an accident, distracted driving will be considered as a potential factor in assessing your legal liability for the crash. Even if youre not using your phone, you may still be distracted. Jun 02, 2016 anyone ticketed for distracted driving in b. Attitudes towards the risk represented by distracted driving, and the use of electronic devices such as cellphones, are the leading causes of distractionrelated crashes and near misses. While distracted driving in florida is a serious issue throughout the state, current laws do not prohibit all uses of handheld electronic devices while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Yes, stricter driving laws really do make us safer.
Activities that are not specifically restricted under the law are. Distractions are shown to compromise the safety of the driver, passengers, pedestrians, and people in other vehicles. Drivers engaged in the following distractions are more likely to be in a crash or near crash event compared with non distracted drivers. British columbia two or more infractions within 12 months can result. Bc s distracted driving legislation also prohibits drivers in the graduated licensing program from using all handheld electronic devices, including handsfree. While not strictly falling under distracted driving laws, driving with a dog on your lap breaches other laws in most provinces. Jan 09, 2018 british columbia auto accident lawyers. California distracted driving regulations for cdl holders. The facebook post showing coming changes to distracted driving legislation on feb 1. Check out some of the differences between bc and alberta driving laws before you go. Recently some online media have posted fake news stories and posts stating that the distracted driving law is changing to be more strict. The thing you may not know is that using a hand held radio is considered to be the same as using a cell phone under this legislation.
Roadsafetybc, along with their partners and stakeholders, develop b. However, you can still be charged with careless or dangerous driving. New distracted driving laws to take effect next week the. Hope latham, a spokeswoman for the bc ministry of public safety, told afp, there are no changes planned to bcs distracted driving laws at this time.
Under this law, no commercial driver may read or send text messages while operating a commercial vehicle in the state. One rule that british columbia drivers find all too easy to break, however, is avoiding distracted driving. Any diversion of your attention away from the safe operation of your vehicle, like chatting with passengers, eating or drinking, or adjusting radio or vehicle settings, can contribute to distracted and inattentive driving. Oct 11, 2016 penalties for distracted driving in bc. In british columbia and saskatchewan, drivers in the graduated. He wanted to know what the distracted driving laws in bc are and would i share my thoughts on media outlets using video footage submitted by distracted drivers in their news stories. Distracted driving is dangerous, claiming 2,841 lives in 2018 alone. Distracted driving is one law british columbians break.
British columbia to increase penalties for distracted drivers. This is not legal advice which can only be provided by legal professionals. Bc and alberta will not change driving laws on february 1. Even if you are completely attentive whenever you drive, other drivers can be less cautious.
Distracted driving, in all of its forms, is the secondhighest contributing factor to motor vehicle related fatalities in b. Vehicles drive through the massey tunnel that connects richmond and delta, b. Drivers convicted of distracted driving under the new laws will be punished with a licence suspension, a hefty fine and demerit points. Victoria lawyer jerry steele says the distracted driving issue boils. With distracted driving causing more fatalities than alcoholrelated traffic fatalities, its extremely frustrating. Nhtsa leads the national effort to save lives by preventing this dangerous behavior. To be clear, there is no specific distracted driving law in bc that only prohibits the use of a cellphone, a misconception by some people. To combat the epidemic, states across the country have implemented laws targeting distracted driving habits. Currently, there are about 12,000 drivers in british columbia that have multiple distracted driving offences over a threeyear period. Bc and alberta will not change driving laws on february 1 afp. Is a phone in a cup holder worthy of a distracted driving. Rcmp warn that you can be fined for eating while driving.
If police are saying that using a smart watch is considered distracted driving, we can challenge that. Distracted driving is a factor in more than 25% of all car crash fatalities in b. If you have been involved in a texting while driving accident in oakville, richmond hill, toronto or the surrounding areas in southern ontario, we want to know. Distracted driving can be just as hazardous as driving under the influence. Distracted driving and texting have changed the landscape of car accident law in ontario. British columbias distracted driving tickets are tough for a reason. This is in contrast with what bcs laws state, and were confident that in many cases innocent drivers will be ticketed for legally using their smart watches. Support for increased sanctions for distracted driving. The year 2019 will usher in a host of new laws and rules that canadians should be aware of, including changes to parental leave benefits and the sale of edible cannabis products.