Driver accused of tailgating while on his phone slapped with hefty fine
Police slapped a motorist with a hefty fine Friday morning in Whitchurch-Stouffville as they patrol the roads for careless drivers this long weekend.
York Regional Police (YRP) say they spotted the driver using his phone while travelling on Stouffville Road.
"We caught him head down, tailgating in the fast lane," police posted to social media about the incident. "It helped that this driver didn't even try to conceal his white iPhone after he was stopped."
This week, provincial police released recent data indicating a troubling trend.
Police say the latest stats recorded 107 fatalities so far in 2022 linked to poor or careless driving behaviours.
OPP says its officers will be monitoring for other infractions as well, including speeding, impairment, and inattentiveness.
OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt told CTV News that people who choose to look at their phones instead of focusing on the road while driving is a problem that's getting progressively worse.
Police say the Whitchurch-Stouffville driver was fined $615.
"Do you have $615 burning a hole in your pocket?" YRP tweeted.
Scmidt also suggested drivers pack their patience on the roads.
"You may think you have all the time in the world to get to your destination, but all of a sudden, you get stuck in traffic. Now people feel like they're missing out on their weekend, and the time is so precious they don't want to lose a second of it.
That's when they start tailgating, pushing traffic, following too close and driving in a manner that's just inappropriate."
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