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Distracted drivers will be ticketed by police
RCMP and bylaw say the warnings are overKatherine Hudson Northern News Services Published Thursday, February 16, 2012 Not so in Inuvik, apparently.
"I'm not seeing any stop in people talking on their cellphones, texting," said Sgt. Peter Pilgrim.
It has now been more than one month since the distracted driving legislation took effect in the territory. The penalty is a $115 fine and three demerit points. It is now illegal to use any handheld electronic devices, such as cellphones without a hands-free device, music players and Global Positioning Systems, while driving.
Pilgrim said since Jan. 1, both bylaw and the RCMP have been giving out verbal warnings to those caught using an electronic device while on the road but he says the message is not getting through.
"I guess we're going to take it to the next level. We'll be sitting down with bylaw in a short period of time to do an action law to begin enforcement of the new law," he said.
"We're going to be doing some active enforcement," said bylaw officer Kevin Kientz.
Delta Cab dispatcher Robbie Jacobson said she notices cellphones still attached to the ears of drivers and said it's not likely to change easily in town.
"It's still happening ... There are going to be a lot of tickets," she said.
Jacobson said it's hard for cab drivers to adhere to the rules since there is no night dispatcher and all calls get forwarded to their cellphones. She said it's then up to the cab drivers to pull over to take or make a call.
She said the legislation would be better served in a bigger centre, rather than in Inuvik.
"The city would have been OK, but here, no," said Jacobson.
The law does include some exemptions, such as "peace officers and other emergency responders in carrying out their duties under any enactment," according to a Department of Transportation information sheet.
The NWT is the 12th Canadian jurisdiction to outlaw using the devices while driving, leaving only Nunavut without such a law.
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