A weeklong blitz by provincial police against distracted driving has resulted in dozens of charges across the region.
Essex County OPP is reporting that the campaign — which lasted from March 14 to 20 — finished locally with a tally of 60 distracted driving charges and six careless driving charges.
Under a 2009 amendment to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, no person can drive a motor vehicle while holding a hand-held wireless communication device, or any other device capable of receiving or transmitting telephone communications, electronic data, mail or text messages.
Chatham-Kent OPP laid 35 distracted driving charges and three careless driving charges during the March blitz.
Lambton OPP —who patrol the Sarnia area — laid 46 distracted driving charges over the same period.
Despite these figures, provincial police said they were gratified by “strong support from the public” on the campaign. They emphasized the importance of education on the issue.
Deputy commissioner Brad Blair, OPP commander of traffic safety, expressed thanks to the public for “working towards making distracted driving a socially unacceptable behaviour on our roads.”
There were 288 fatalities on OPP-patrolled roadways last year. Of those deaths, 73 were caused by driver inattention.
According to OPP, driver inattention was a factor in more fatal accidents last year than speeding, lack of seat belt use, or impairment.
So far this year, OPP have investigated 51 fatal collisions — 12 of which involved driver inattention as a causal factor.
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