Here’s How Much You Can be Fined for Distracted Driving in Halton

Published May 14, 2019 at 6:42 pm

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of injuries, collisions, and deaths on roadways in Ontario, according to Halton Police Media Relations Officer, Steve Elms.

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of injuries, collisions, and deaths on roadways in Ontario, according to Halton Police Media Relations Officer, Steve Elms. In fact, distracted driving comes before drunk driving, and speeding. And people who are caught distracted driving in the Halton Region can face a pretty hefty fine.

According to police, drivers who are convicted in Halton will face a fine of $615 (if settled out of court), a fine of up to $1,000 if a summons is received or if the driver fights the ticket in court and loses, 3 demerit points, and a three-day suspension.

According to Elms, there have been 2,643 certificates of offense and 734 warnings issued in Halton from Jan 1, 2018, until April 30, 2019, in relation to distracted driving.

Although, police services across Ontario are working to raise awareness about distracted driving.

Police services, including Halton Police, across the province are raising awareness about the risks associated with distracted driving by launching the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) #DriveSafe campaign.

According to the campaign, there are three types of distracted driving: visual (taking your eyes off the road), manual (taking your hands off the wheel), and cognitive (taking your mind off what you’re doing.  

However, the campaign also provides a more in-depth definition of distracted driving.

“Distracted driving can be defined as any activity which takes a driver’s attention away from driving and can include: adjusting the stereo; searching for something in the car; eating or drinking while driving; using a handheld device; watching television or other entertainment devices,” notes the campaign.

A few tips for driving undistracted, as highlighted in the campaign, include keeping your cellphone out of reach, turning off your phone, and don’t call or text others who you know are driving.

For more information, click here.

Photo is courtesy of Halton Police.

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