The Government of Ontario banned the use of mobile devices while driving in 2009, with minimum fines now starting at $490 and three demerit points for those caught.
A new report released by the Toronto Police reveals a significant surge in distracted driving related charges, with thousands of drivers still disobeying the law. The ‘Traffic Services Road Safety Recap’ reported on traffic-related trends such as collisions and distracted driving.
The Toronto Police have implemented two major distracted driving campaigns that target drivers using mobile devices, specifically the ‘That Text or Call Could End It All’ in February and the ‘March Break, March Safe campaign’ in March. As of April 3rd, 2017, the number of distracted-driving charges laid since January 1st is 1,840, up from 1,345 a year ago and representing an increase of 37 percent.
Recent OPP statistics indicate distracted driving is now the leading cause of road deaths in Ontario, outpacing speeding, seatbelt and alcohol-related deaths.
Source: Toronto Police
MobileSyrup may earn a commission from purchases made via our links, which helps fund the journalism we provide free on our website. These links do not influence our editorial content. Support us here.
