As of Tuesday, the fine for getting caught driving while distracted in Ontario stands at $490.
That’s quite a bit more than the $280 fine previously in effect – and doesn’t take into account the three demerit points that now come with a distracted driving offence.
The increased penalty has been accompanied by a bounty of media attention, as well as advertising messages telling drivers to keep their eyes on the road.
The penalties for novice drivers found to be distracted are even higher.
Anyone with a G1 or G2 licence loses their licence for 30 days upon the first bout of distracted driving, 90 days for the second, and for good if it happens a third time.
So are motorists getting the message?
“I’d like to say they are, but our charges are pretty much consistent with last year,” said Staff Sgt. Jim Strand, who supervises the traffic branch of Waterloo Regional Police.
Mike Slavik says the driver behaviour he sees is as bad as ever – and given he drives about 850 kilometres a day, he sees quite a bit.
“People aren’t paying attention. It’s ridiculous,” he said in an interview.
“I get cut off, they swerve – it’s incredible.”
Monday through Friday, Slavik drives from the Detroit area to Schomberg, north of Toronto, and back.
He sometimes looks out of his window to see the behaviour of drivers passing him or being passed – and says that often enough, they’re watching their phones rather than the highway.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve screamed through my windshield. Put it down. Watch what you’re doing,” he said.
Slavik says he’s glad to see the new penalties being introduced, but would like to see things go even farther.
“That’s the only way I see that this is going to get straightened out – if they make it so prohibitive that people will pay attention,” he said.
Strand says distracted driving is now the most common cause of collisions on Ontario’s roads.
“We do not want any more people dying on our regional roads,” he said.
“We want people to live. Leave the phone alone.”
