New changes will come into effect on January 1 for distracted driving laws meaning Ontarians will ring in the New Year with harsher penalties.
“At the end of the day, it’s about keeping your eyes on the road,” says Barrie Police’s Peter Leon.
First time distracted driving offenders could be hit with a maximum $1,000 fine, three demerit points, and a three-day suspension.
A second offence within five years of the first is a $2,000 fine, six demerit points, and a week suspension.
A third or more offence within those five years could equal a fine of as much as $3,000, six demerit points and a suspension of up to one month.
Former OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis says these increases still aren’t enough for motorists to get the message.
“They’re still doing it non-stop,” he says. “People are losing their lives out there, and it could be them who lose their lives next if they don’t smarten up.”
According to Provincial police, in 2017, 83 deaths were attributed to distracted and inattentive driving, up from 19 the year before, making distracted driving the leading cause of death on our roads.
