I'VE decided this week to address what I and the experts consider to be one of the most significant risks on our roads today: distracted driving.
Specifically, I want to talk about those who use cellphones while they drive, either to talk, text or, as the case has been in at least one instance that resulted in a fatal crash in the United States, pay the phone bill - and no, the irony of that particular case is not lost on me.
I get a lot of questions from the public about the rationale for the current laws surrounding cellphone use and driving, and I want to address some of them here. Unsurprisingly, these questions are most frequently raised by those to whom I happen to be issuing a ticket. Some of these people also claim they can pay sufficient attention to the road while manipulating a cellphone.
I disagree.
Despite the risk of a $176 fine, many people still use their phones without a hands-free device while driving.
I've been given a range of excuses for this dangerous activity, all of them ridiculous. For your entertainment, here are a few of them - with some of my answers:
- "I was just holding it."
"Yes, sir, that is, without question, the problem."
- "My Bluetooth is dead."
"Unfortunately, ma'am, that particular problem does not negate the requirements set out in law."
- "It was my boss; I had to answer."
"Are you suggesting we blame your boss and issue her the ticket?"
- "This is a stupid law."
"Please sign at the bottom of the ticket."
I had a discussion just last week with a gentleman who suggested using a cellphone was no different from eating a sandwich or adjusting a stereo while driving.
True, distractions abound both outside and inside our vehicles, but it is our duty to manage them. The Motor Vehicle Act backs this up. If a distraction under the driver's control, be it applying mascara, sipping hot coffee, or tuning a radio, causes any risk, then the driver faces the possibility of being charged under section 144, which states: "A person must not drive a motor vehicle on a highway without due care and attention."
But more than this, studies show that cellphone use constitutes not only a physical distraction but also a cognitive distraction.
Eating a sandwich takes little cognitive processing. Cellphone use, on the other hand, requires significantly more. Not only that, but more complex tasks like texting or having deep conversations require more cognitive processing. Studies show that our brains can only pay attention to a set quantity of things.
While I agree there is a spectrum of this ability among drivers, the more attention we devote to a distraction, the less is left available for our driving. When drivers pay less attention, they stop seeing things, stop noticing the small, sometimes critical hazards that can cause accidents. Adding speed into the mix starts to create a "perfect storm" of dangerous driving. These drivers are very, very dangerous.
To those who still think they can safely use a cellphone without a handsfree device while driving, I say you have no right to make that assumption, no permission to take that risk, and no excuse that would satisfy anyone made to suffer if something goes wrong. Remove the temptation - put your phone in the trunk.
No matter what excuse you give, we will simply add it to the list, hand you the ticket, and pray you finally get the message.
Peter DeVries District West Response Sergeant North Vancouver RCMP
REMEMBRANCE DAY PARADE ROUTE
North Vancouver RCMP reminds citizens that there may be some traffic delays due to the Remembrance Day Parade.
- At 9: 20 a.m., the pipe band marches from the armories on Forbes Avenue east up 15th Street, across Lonsdale Avenue, south on St. Georges to the RCMP Detachment.
- At 9: 55 a.m, the pipe band, RCMP and fire department marches south on St. Georges to East Keith Road and St. Georges and subsequently to Victoria Park.
- At approximately 11: 30 a.m., the final stage of the parade route will march north on Lonsdale Avenue and then west on West 15th Street to the armories on Forbes Avenue.
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