Police focus on keeping drivers ‘hands on the wheel and mind on the task’

The Victoria Police Department issued 27 distracted driving tickets Monday during the first day of a month-long campaign targeting drivers on with their hands – and minds – off the wheel.

Police issued the costly tickets over five hours of enforcement, leaving 27 drivers with the $368-fine, which also comes with four penalty points at a cost of $252.

READ ALSO: What exactly counts as distracted driving in B.C.?

In total, distracted drivers are looking at a $620 loss, and that’s only if it’s their first ticket of the year.

A second distracted driving ticket in 12 months can cost more than $2,500.

But that’s not enough for some drivers to leave the phone alone. According to ICBC, an average of 1,335 drivers receive multiple tickets every year.

1 in 4 fatal crashes in B.C. involve a distracted driver. This month @vicpdtraffic is focused on distracted driving. Our officers were on the road today to remind drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and mind on the task. #yyjtraffic #EyesFwdBC pic.twitter.com/7ZG4YHptPh — Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) March 2, 2020

Distracted driving includes everything from texting and phone calls to personal grooming and changing the music on a device. According to the B.C. government, drivers fail to process about 50 per cent of the visual information in their driving environment when they are using electronic communication devices.

ICBC says on average, nine people are killed in distracted driving related crashes on Vancouver Island every year.

READ ALSO: B.C. to hike distracted driving penalties by $740