SGI, police clear up misconceptions about distracted driving

Saskatoon Police were hoping new penalties implemented on Feb. 1 would lead to less distracted drivers in the province, but it also inundated SGI with questions about distracted driving.

Staff Sergeant Nolan Berg said nearly 50 offences for using a cellphone behind the wheel, including seven distracted driving tickets were handed out since the start of the month.

It’s far more than he’s comfortable with.

“It’s far too many. Far, far too many, and every one of them was completely preventable had the driver just put the phone away and focused on driving,” Berg said from Saskatoon Police headquarters.

Penalties for distracted driving more than doubled at the start of the month. First time offenders will get a $580 fine and a four-demerit point penalty. A second ticket goes up to $1,400 and the offenders vehicle impounded. A third offence in a one-year period is a $2,100 penalty.

The first offence previously carried a fine of $280.

While SGI went on a publicity blitz to ensure the public was aware of the changes, an endless parade of complaints and questions were sent to the provincial insurance agency.

In an attempt to clear up some of the most asked questions, SGI spokesperson Tyler McMurchy said the most common misconception was people believing the laws had changed. They did not, only the penalties increased.

Phones cannot be manipulated in any way unless the person is an experienced driver that is using a hands-free device.

“If it’s a phone, it can be mounted on a cradle with minimal touching, like one touch to activate. If you’re taking a phone call, one touch on and one touch off,” Berg said.

Drivers that eat, change a radio station, light a cigarette, or eat and drink will usually not get a distracted driving ticket, but it is possible.

“You couldn’t possibly write a law that would cover every possible, infinite number of distracting behaviours because somebody is going to find someway to be distracted and then say, ‘Well that wasn’t contrary to the law,’” McMurchy said. “Again, it’s common sense.”

Another common question is people wondering why a police officer doesn’t get a ticket for using a phone and driving.

Just like how a cop can walk into a Tim Horton’s with a gun, there are certain rights granted to law enforcement that aren’t granted to an average citizen, McMurchy said.

Law enforcement, fire fighters and emergency responders are exempt from the specific section of the Traffic Safety Act that enforces distracted driving, just like how they’re allowed to speed or drive through a red light for an emergency.

Berg also mentioned that officers have no intention of taking a person’s cellphone away. Traffic police are focused on improving safety and would rather use financial penalty, demerit points and vehicle seizures as a way of improving driving habits.

Lastly, SGI does not collect ticket revenue, however SGI does collect money from demerits on tickets, but not nearly enough compared to discounts it offers in its Safe Driver Recognition insurance discounts.

Last fiscal year, SGI’s discounts to its customers totaled $131 million compared to $26.7 million collected from demerit points, according to a media release.