Saskatchewan driver ticketed for using McDonald’s app in drive-thru

A driver in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, says he got a ticket for using his phone in a McDonald’s drive-thru.

According to CTV News, Mason Prima pulled into the drive-thru and took out his phone to pull up the McDonald’s app to load a code he had to get a free meal. But there was an officer on a motorcycle behind Prima, who then came to Prima’s window. Prima said he showed the officer that he was using the app to get his free meal code.

“I did think he was just going to let me go because I’m just trying to get a free meal, but no, turns out to be a very expensive lunch,” Prima told CTV.

However, the Saskatchewan RCMP disputed Prima’s account in a statement to CTV, saying that a Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan RCMP officer stopped Prima after observing him using a cellphone while driving on a public roadway. The RCMP claimed Prima pulled into the McDonald’s parking lot after, which is where the officer issued the ticket.

While distracted driving and using a phone behind the wheel is definitely dangerous and shouldn’t be done, the drive-thru is a bit of a grey area. On the one hand, drivers are still behind the wheel. On the other, cars typically move fairly slowly in the drive-thru and drive-thrus aren’t public roads. It’s arguable whether officers should be able to ticket drivers for using their phones in a drive-thru.

It’d be great to get some official clarity on the legality (or lack thereof) of using phones in a drive-thru, especially as many fast food companies push their mobile apps on customers to collect points and other rewards. Hopefully, fast food companies offer an alternative to apps for people, espcially those in drive-thrus who could risk hefty fines for pulling out their phones.

Whatever the case, Prima plans to fight the ticket in court — the date is set for July 31st.

Source: CTV News