Nearly 70 distracted drivers have felt the sting of a $368 fine and four penalty points on their driver's licence this month thanks to a Burnaby RCMP enforcement blitz for Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Local Mounties kicked off their increased enforcement efforts at various major local intersections on March 1, catching 40 drivers using an electronic device on the first day alone.
Since the beginning of the month, officers have issued a total of 67 cellphone tickets and 15 written warnings, according to the detachment.
"In many cases during these latest enforcement initiatives, drivers were so distracted by using their phone that they only noticed a police officer standing beside their vehicle after the officer knocked on their window to capture their attention," stated a Burnaby RCMP news release Friday.
Some of the most common excuses officers heard from drivers before handing them a the ticket were "I didn’t know I couldn't use my phone at a red light" "I had an urgent email" and "I was checking my GPS."
While the detachment is stepping up enforcement for Distracted Driving Awareness Month in March, the release said Burnaby RCMP works all year around to encourage drivers to leave their phones alone when they're behind the wheel.
Last year, local Mounties issued 1,520 distracted driving tickets, making distracted driving one of the top traffic violations in the city, second only to speeding, according to the release.
"Our officers will continue enhanced enforcement efforts for distracted drivers over the next month, but these operations happen year-round," Burnaby RCMP Cpl. Ed Faustino said in the release. "The goal in sharing this information is to educate and encourage all drivers to create healthy habits and to leave their phone alone when behind the wheel to keep our roads and communities safer."
For more information about the province’s distracted driving rules, visit the Burnaby RCMP webpage.
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