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Think you’re invisible as you text on your lap at that red light? Think again.

Ottawa police are now deploying citywide an unmarked van that gives them a birds-eye view on traffic patrol in a bid to catch dangerous users of mobile devices.

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It was the brainchild of Const. Michel Vandal who spotted the cargo van used by neighbourhood officers in the police garage and realized he could use it to look right down into other vehicles, Sgt. Mark Gatien said. The van was being deployed for central division traffic but is now at work citywide — resulting in about five tickets every time it spends a shift on the road.

Gatien tweeted an amusing warning about “crotch texting” Thursday but says that people are kidding themselves if they think using text devices behind the wheel is anything less than potentially deadly.

People think a quick glimpse at a red light or stop sign can’t hurt but end up focussing on the screen, not what’s ahead or behind them or even the sirens of approaching emergency vehicles. Drivers who text are 23 times more likely to get into a collision

“When your head is down looking at a phone, your eyes are not looking at the road,” Gatien said. “It’s a recipe for disaster.”