On March 18, fines for driving with a hand-held device will increase from $125 to $225.
The Ontario Chief Justice Annemarie Bonkalo signed a judicial order for the increase of fines for the three offences, commonly known as distracted driving.
Driving with a display screen visible to driver, driving with a hand-held communication device, and driving with a hand-held entertainment device are the three offences that have increased their fines to combat distracted driving.
Let’d dive in to see what these three charges mean for you.
Drive-Display screen visible to driver, s. 78(1), states that no person shall drive a motor vehicle on a highway if the display screen of a television, computer, or other device is visible to the driver. Recently in California, a woman was charged but found not guilty with the California equivalent while wearing Google Glass.
This charge means you can not have any screen in the front of your car. The exceptions are GPS and the in-car screen.
Drive – hand-held communication device, s. 78.1(1), states that no person shall drive a motor vehicle on a highway while holding or using a hand-held wireless communication device or other prescribed device that is capable of receiving or transmitting telephone communications, electronic data, mail or text messages.
The key word here is holding. You cannot hold the phone, even if it is off.
Drive – hand-held entertainment device, s. 78.1(2), states that no person shall drive a motor vehicle on a highway while holding or using a hand-held electronic entertainment device or other prescribed device the primary use of which is unrelated to the safe operation of the motor vehicle.
This charge is to catch all the other electronic devices. It also answers the question: are you allowed to use your phone as a GPS? The answer: NO!
If you get a ticket for any of these three charges, let us know, we can help!
Something to look forward in the coming weeks: we are going to be talking a lot about distracted driving and its consequences.
