200 distracted driving charges in 2-weeks: Halton police

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Published November 25, 2019 at 11:11 pm

​The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) and Halton Region have crunched the data from the recent “Project It Can Wait Halton” road safety initiative.

​The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) and Halton Region have crunched the data from the recent “Project It Can Wait Halton” road safety initiative.

Over the course of ​the two-week campaign, which ran from Oct. 28 through Nov. 8, HRPS officers put added emphasis on the enforcement of distracted driving law and education about the risks associated with distracted driving.

During the campaign, HRPS officers issued a total of 199 Provincial Offence Notice Charges and 9 warnings.

“The campaign aimed to positively influence driver behaviour and reduce the use of handheld devices while driving,” said HRPS Deputy Chief Jeff Hill. “Enforcement of distracted driving will continue to be a priority for our officers, but our hope is that through continued education there will be a reduced need for enforcement going forward.”

HRPS and Halton Region rolled out an awareness campaign through their website, social media channels, as well as digital and print signage. According to the campaign officials, the #ItCanWaitHalton hashtag garnered 707,130 impressions over social media while the digital and print signage were passed by motorists over 5 million times during the course of the campaign.

“Halton Region and the Halton Regional Police Service continue to work together to ensure our roads and communities remain safe. I encourage drivers to take an active role in preventing accidents by putting their phone away and focusing on driving safely,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “When you are behind the wheel, everything else can wait.”

The Halton Regional Police Service and Halton Region reminded drivers that Ontario’​s distracted driving law states that while you are driving, which included being stopped in traffic or at a red light, it is illegal to:

  • Use a phone or other handheld wireless communication device to text or call (unless calling 911 in an emergency).

  • Use a handheld electronic entertainment device, such as a tablet or portable gaming console.

  • View display screens unrelated to driving, such as watching a video.

  • Program a GPS device, except by voice commands.

The HRPS allows people to report a distracted driver online through the 

Residents are reminded that they can report a distracted driver online.

A previous version of this article said the signage was passed over three million times. The Town of Oakville recently said it was passed over five million times

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