New Brunswick drivers enter a new era on the roads and highways in the province today.
RON WARD/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT
As of today, driving while talking or texting is illegal in N.B. If it’s not hands free, you can’t use any type of mobile communication, GPS or MP3 player.
Police around the province will begin enforcing new distracted driving legislation, prohibiting the use of hand-held cell phones, texting devices and other portable communications and entertainment devices while driving. The act also prohibits the manual programming or adjusting of any global positioning system while driving.
And if you think police will be lenient on drivers who “forget” or ignore the law in its first few weeks, think again.
“It’s going to be enforced like any other law,” says Codiac Regional RCMP Cpl. Dan Roy. “If we stop somebody, they can face a fine of $172.50.”
A ticket also comes with a loss of three points from one’s licence.
Roy says New Brunswick drivers have known this new law was coming for months now, so “I think everybody’s pretty much had a grace period.”
The legislation was introduced Public Safety Minister Robert Trevors last fall.
“This was a high priority on my list when I came into this position,” he told Canadaeast News Service last month. “This new law will help make New Brunswick roads and highways safer for everyone.”
Trevors said he hopes the new legislation sparks a cultural shift towards improved road safety.
“We’re losing young people on New Brunswick’s highways because of terrible accidents involving hand-held devices,” he said. “We need to change the culture and encourage safety on our roads.”
Roy said Codiac RCMP is in favour of the new law.
“We’re very supportive of anything that’s going to increase safety and reduce the risk to drivers and passengers on the roads,” he said. “It is good legislation to have in place.”
Public feedback has been positive so far, both Roy and a spokesperson for Public Safety said, but the Codiac RCMP officer expects some drivers will be slow to adjust to the new law.
“I imagine we’re still going to see a lot of people talking on their cell phones, but it’s hard to speculate how it’s going to be,” Roy said.
He points to seatbelts as an example. Drivers and passengers in the province have been required to wear seatbelts since 1983, but many are still caught not wearing them.
“It’s hard to say why people do what they do, but we’re there to remind them that it is a safety issue and they can face the fine if they choose not to (obey the law),” Roy said.
According to the Canada Safety Council, drivers who take their eyes off the road to send a text message or scroll through music on a hand-held player are 23 times more likely be involved in a collision than those who don’t.
Exempt from the new ban are voice command systems, one-touch devices or built-in screens. Telecommunications workers who require special equipment, peace officers and fire and ambulance personnel are also exempt from the ban on hand-held devices when performing their duties.
Any driver will be permitted to make a 911 call as needed. Drivers of commercial vehicles will be allowed to use two-way radios, and ham radio operators will be permitted to use them for emergency search-and-rescue activities.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada has said that in addition to the fine and demerit points, drivers can also expect to see an increase in their auto insurance.
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What is a driver distraction?
The Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) and the Strategy to Reduce Impaired Driving (STRID) have developed the following definition of driver distraction: “Distracted driving is the diversion of attention from driving, as a result of the driver focusing on a non-driving object, activity, event, or person. This diversion reduces awareness, decision-making, or performance leading to increased risk of driver-error, near-crashes, or crashes. The diversion of attention is not attributable to a medical condition, alcohol/drug use and/or fatigue.”
What is illegal and what is not under the new law?
* Telephone calls: You cannot make or take calls when driving unless your telephone is hands-free or single-touch. If there is an emergency, you can call 911. Only while driving a police, fire or ambulance vehicle are you allowed to make or take a call.
* Texting: You are not allowed. Ever.
* GPS: You can look at your GPS screen, but you cannot program or handle it.
* MP3 or other entertainment devices: You can handle built-in devices. If you have a portable device plugged in while you drive, you can listen, but you cannot touch.
* Display screen: If it is built into your vehicle, it is fine. Otherwise, you cannot have it in your view.
* Two-way radio: You can use a two-way radio if driving for commercial purposes or driving a commercial vehicle (a bus or vehicle with gross mass of 4,500 kg or more), or involved in an emergency operation or search-and-rescue.
What is the penalty:
Drivers who violate the legislation can be fined $172.50 and lose three points from their licence.
Tips for reducing distractions:
* Leave prepared. Read maps, program your GPS, and adjust your seat, climate controls and other devices before you leave.
* Focus on the road. Studies show that drivers who talk on a cellphone lose about 50 per cent of what is going on around them, visually, and are four times more likely to get into a crash.
* Ask your passenger(s) for help. If you are travelling with someone else and your cellphone rings, ask them to take the call for you. They can also help by adjusting controls on devices.
* Pull over in a safe place if you must care for children, make a call or have something to eat or drink.
* Let it go to voice mail. Better yet, turn the cellphone off to avoid the temptation to pick it up. Let voice mail do its job and call back later when it is safe to do so.
* Avoid intense, complicated or emotional conversations when driving.
* If you feel sleepy, find a safe place to pull over and rest.
* Source: New Brunswick Department of Public Safety
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