Drivers who use electronic devices behind the wheel will now face tougher penalties.
Effective Oct. 20, drivers will receive three penalty points in addition to a $167 fine when caught using hand-held electronic devices by police officers. Hand-held devices include cellphones, iPods or MP3 players or GPS devices, according to a media release from the provincial government.
These penalty points remain on a person’s driving record for five years. If more points are handed down to the driver, they would face an additional fine from ICBC in the form of a minimum $175 penalty point premium, the release stated.
Drivers who continue to disregard the new law will face stiffer penalties depending on how many tickets they’re issued in one year. Two distracted driving tickets in one year will result in the driver having to pay $634 – the cost of two fines and $300 for six penalty points.
A high number of penalty points could also result in a driving prohibition if the superintendent of motor vehicles identifies the driver as a high-risk to others, the release added.
Distracted driving continues to be a major problem in B.C. and is the second leading cause of vehicle fatalities, according to the release.
In New Westminster, the police department conducts regular enforcement and during a recent blitz issued 32 distracted driving tickets in less than three hours.
For more information on B.C.’s distracted driving laws, visit www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/osmv/road-safety/distracted.htm.
