Oxford OPP Release Distracted Driving Results

Tuesday, 18 March 2014 16:10

Penalty for those caught also on the rise

WOODSTOCK -- Oxford County OPP are out with fresh numbers on distracted driving following a week long blitz in the province which ended last Friday.

Provincial Police participated in the province wide Distracted Driving Campaign which ran from March 8th through March 14th. During the week long campaign, officers paid extra attention to motorists who were involved in risky distracted behaviours which could result in serious or fatal motor vehicle collisions on area roads.

Locally, Oxford County officers issued a total of 55 provincial offence notices under Ontario's distracted driving legislation.

As of Tuesday, the fine for distracted driving also increased to $280 -- all of which now includes the increased $225 fine, plus a $50 victim surcharge and five extra dollars in added court costs.

According to OPP, distracted driving has become the number one factor in motor vehicle related collision deaths on provincial roadways, and not just limited to simply talking or texting on your cell phone. Current provincial law makes it illegal for drivers to talk, text, type, dial or email using hand-held cell phones and other hand-held communications and entertainment devices. This also includes drivers viewing display screens such as laptops or DVD players while driving.

Categories for what is distracted driving don't end there. Eating and drinking, personal grooming and tending to children in the backseat are just some of the other deadly distractions which police were on the lookout for.

A total of 11 people have died so far in 2014 in distracted driving related collisions on OPP patrolled roads and, according to some of the OPP's Facebook followers, the public recognizes how serious a threat driver inattention poses to road users.

"I see many people driving and using their cell phones and not paying attention to traffic. They should be kept off of roads," said one follower.

Even though they've wrapped up their latest initiative to catch those not getting the message -- Oxford OPP say they'll continue with education and enforcement efforts into distracted driving on provincial roadways.