Squamish RCMP is joining with Lower Mainland Traffic Service (Highway Patrol) units and police throughout B.C. to focus attention on the dangers of distracted driving in February.
Tuesday (Feb. 1) was the one-year anniversary of B.C.'s distracted driving legislation - most often referred to as a ban on the use of hand-held cell phones while driving - coming into effect. Statistics show that inattentive or distracted driving was a contributing factor in 48 per cent of traffic fatalities in the Lower Mainland in 2010. Province-wide, police handed out 32,000 violation tickets for the illegal use of electronic devices while driving.
"This data supports the anecdotal evidence that the public has not taken seriously the new legislation and are not giving the driving task their undivided attention," Squamish RCMP Staff Sgt. Guy Pollock said in a statement.
Police in B.C. plan to focus on distracted driving enforcement in February. On Feb. 14, all traffic units plan to "aggressively" target distracted driving offences, Pollock said.
