Calgary’s motorists, if a police report is to be believed, seem to be more focused on the road these days than ever before.
According to the police, there has been a significant decline—13% compared to last year—in the volume of tickets handed out in Calgary for distracted driving.
Law enforcers suggest that the decline could be the result of stricter distracted driving legislation, which was modified earlier this year to include three demerit points for every fine.
These demerits, Traffic Staff Sgt. Paul Stacey told
CBC News, have a severe impact on a motorist’s insurance rates, giving them a disincentive for using their phones while behind the wheel.
Under Calgary’s Traffic Safety Act, motorists are not permitted to do the following actions while driving:
- using hand-held cell phones
- texting or e-mailing (even when stopped at red lights)
- using electronic devices like laptop computers, video games, cameras, video entertainment displays and programming portable audio players (e.g., MP3 players)
- entering information on GPS units
- reading printed materials in the vehicle
- writing, printing or sketching
- personal grooming (brushing and flossing teeth, putting on makeup, curling hair, clipping nails or shaving)
The fine for those caught violating the law is $287, on top of the previously-mentioned demerit points.
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