Cellphone use, among other driving distractions, will be on the police radar starting next week.
Alberta's distracted driving legislation comes into effect Sept. 1
The new law will ban the use of hand-held cellphones, laptop computers, video games, cameras, portable audio players, entering information on GPS units, reading printed materials, writing, sketching, and personal grooming.
Driving while handling food such as coffee is not included in the legislation.
“While we're out on routine patrols we're always looking for any infractions of the law,” said Didsbury RCMP Sgt. Jeff Jacobson, adding that motorists talking on cellphones or otherwise distracted will be pulled over.
The fine for being caught driving while distracted is $172.
“In the initial stages anyways, we will provide education related to what the new law is and obviously encourage them if they are going to be talking on the phone to get hands-free devices.”
While statistics on distracted-driving-related vehicle collisions were not available, Jacobson said they do happen.
“Certainly we receive numerous calls related to distracted driving where quite often it is believed that they are an impaired driver because they're swerving on the road,” Jacobson said.
“It turns out that no, they were just talking on their phone or distracted (in) some other fashion. Distracted driving is a dangerous practice.”
