OUR VIEW: Hit ’em where it counts: in the wallet

Yes, yes, yes!

We applaud the provincial government for hiking penalties for distracted driving in the province.

The current fine is $167 for a first offence. The new fines and penalty-point premiums will mean a first offender will get a $543 ticket ($368 base fine plus $175 penalty-point premium). For a second offence, there will be a $888 fine, with a $1,600 fine for a third offence. Demerit points on driver’s licences will also increase from three to four points.

Apparently the government’s public consultation process indicated 90 per cent of the public wanted higher fines, and so the new fines were set.

There will also be an automatic review of a person’s driver’s licence after two tickets, and, at the discretion of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles, a driving prohibition of three to 12 months can be levied.

Excellent.

The new fines target folks where it hurts – their wallets.

And if that doesn’t deter constant texters or phone checkers, the threat of losing their driver’s licence should do the trick.

B.C.’s distracted drivers kill more than 60 people every year and seriously injure about 330 more, according to Public Safety Ministry stats.

And it’s not like the police haven’t been driving the point home under the current fine system.

From 2010 to 2014, police officers issued more than 42,000 tickets to distracted drivers.

But clearly more was needed. One only has to be out on the roads for a short period of time to catch people glancing at their phones, or actually texting while driving. Not to mention those who are sitting at green lights looking at their phones.

B.C. Police Chief Les Sylven was quoted as saying, “The day will come when distracted driving is as socially unacceptable as drinking and driving.”

We can only hope.

Some folks have even said the new penalties, which kick in June 1, are not strong enough.

Some have suggested drivers who get more than three tickets should have their licences revoked permanently.

Given that some drivers may not be able to kick their cellphone addiction, that might be necessary.

But for now this is a great improvement over the previous penalties.

And, most importantly, let’s hope it saves some lives.