The Standard Freeholder: Distraction law will make our roads safer
Ontario’s new distracted driving law is now being enforced by Cornwall Police Service and district Ontario Provincial Police officers. As of midnight Monday, anyone caught yakking on a hand-held cell phone, smart phone or using a media is ticketed. The fine is $155.
Some drivers complain that the new law is another case of Big Brother trampling their rights, and that it will do nothing to make our streets and highways safer.
Others will argue that the law gives police an excuse to stop a vehicle and “snoop”.
The new legislation is also being called another tax grab.
Nothing could be farther from the facts.
Studies show that persons talking on hand-held cell phone are four times more likely to be involved in a traffic accident.
There also are cases where they cause accidents they aren’t even aware of.
In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need legislation like the distracted driving law.
But we do.
And we need it to make our highways and streets safer.
Every veteran traffic cop has a distracted driver story, most of them nothing short of bizarre. They range from talking on a hand-held cell phone to curling their hair while weaving in and out of traffic.
