Distracted Driving – BC’s Leading Cause of Road Fatalities

In British Columbia, distracted driving kills more people every year than any other motor vehicle related cause of death, including impaired driving. Despite the potentially devastating consequences, many British Columbians continue to engage in risky and distracting behaviour while driving.

Recently, several videos were released in which people are captured driving while doing things that require concentration and dexterity. A woman on Vancouver Island was recently caught curling her hair while driving on the highway at about 90 km/h, and in another shocking situation, a woman is captured playing the guitar while driving on the highway. Of course, most distracted behaviour is not quite as overt or surprising. Cellphone usage comes to mind first to most of us when we think of distracted driving.

Notwithstanding the fact that in 2014, the B.C. Government increased the penalty for the use of hand-held electronic devices while driving to a $167 fine and three penalty points, B.C. currently has the second most lenient penalties for distracted driving in Canada. Penalties for distracted driving vary greatly throughout Canada. In Ontario, for example, the maximum fine for distracted driving is $1,000, with a minimum penalty of $300, and in Nova Scotia, the fine is $579.

A public consultation to determine whether penalties for distracted driving should be increased has been undertaken recently by the Minister of Justice of British Columbia. Some of the specific questions asked are: Should drivers be fined higher for texting while driving, given the associated risks? Should new drivers, or repeat offenders, face different sanctions than other drivers?

If you have a question about this topic or another legal issue, contact us for a legal consultation.  Reach us at 250-888-0002, or via email at info@leaguelaw.com.