[Using handheld devices while driving is against the law]
[October 26, 2009]
[Jim Bradley]
[Minister of Transportation]
“Today, we are asking Ontario driver to put down their cell phones and other electronic equipment while behind the wheel. Starting today, drivers will no longer be able to text, talk, dial, email, or type using hand held wireless communications and entertainment devices.”
Anyone who is distracted while driving, is a danger not only to himself or herself, but also to others in the public. So it takes full attention on the road to ensure that whatever you’re doing is concentrating on driving.
[Brian Patterson]
[President, Ontario Safety League]
Distracted or inattentive driving has resulted in nine hundred police response crashes in York region alone in the last year, so it’s a significant problem and its requires significant resources to deal with it and this tool is a good one to use.
[Const. Hugh Smith]
[Traffic Services, Toronto Police]
For an initial three months, were going to be doing an education period while operation one of these devices, you can go to a higher penalty of five hundred dollars. Nine out of ten people own some type of electronic device; it’s going to be one of these twenty four sevens for you know, good year long period that we can finally get these habits to change.
[Woman]
Well I’d have to agree it’s a good law, for sure I think it would be safer for people not to be texting and using their cell phones while their driving.
[Student]
A lot of people from my town are always talking on cell phones, like a, one hand on the phone and one hand on your steering wheel. You can’t see at all.
[Man]
I think it’s a great idea. I really think it’s a great idea because when you are on the wheel, you have to focus on that.
[Ontario.ca/transportation]