This week the province announced it is bringing out some heavy weapons in the fight against mass distraction on the road.
Tickets for those nabbed for distracted driving are going up significantly.
Of course, if the government wanted to get really tough it could consider an even more Draconian penalty – taking away drivers’ cellphones.
Ninety per cent of the time we refer to distractions behind the wheel, what we’re really talking about are electronic devices. Societally, we have become pathologically addicted to our smartphones and have created an expectation of instant response.
So when the smartphone rings or buzzes, the pull to answer it is strong. It’s the boss. It’s the kids’ school. It’s the friend ahead of you on the highway. Never mind the police in cherry pickers.
Most of us still witness people yakking or texting on their phones while driving every day. As the transportation minister pointed out, when you look down, it’s like driving the length of a football field blind.
So far, the message hasn’t got through, as witnessed by the increasing numbers of distracted driving tickets being handed out by police and the number of accidents where cellphones are a factor.
We hope bigger fines will get people’s attention. Societally, we all have a role to play – by putting down our phones when we get behind the wheel and not tolerating drivers who won’t.
It is possible to tear ourselves away from that electronic tether long enough to get where we are going.
The life we save could be our own.
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