ICBC is making another appeal for drivers to put their phones away while operating a motor vehicle.
According to the insurance company, more than one in four fatal crashes on BC roads in the last six years has involved driving.
It’s a driving behaviour that kills 76 people per year in our province, despite the fact that it’s entirely preventable.
As a result, police are once again ramping up distracted driving enforcement during the month of March, which will include community volunteers being deployed to monitor traffic in certain areas.
“This month, drivers will be hearing one message – take a break from your phone when you're behind the wheel,” says a release from ICBC.
“Not only is it dangerous, but the costs can add up quickly.”
A distracted driving ticket is $368 plus four penalty points that bring the total to $620.
If you get a second distracted driving ticket within 12 months, the penalties increase to around $2,500.
However, these tough penalties don’t seem to be deterring lawbreakers as there’s an average of 1,335 drivers receiving multiple tickets every year.
If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter.
If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform.
