(File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Bad driving habits

Saskatchewan drivers caught distracted, minister considers stiffer penalties

Jul 26, 2019 | 2:14 PM

The minister responsible for Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) is hinting stiffer penalties may be coming for people caught using their cellphones while behind the wheel.

Joe Hargrave was asked by paNOW to respond to a recent report released by SGI, which showed there were more than 900 people caught driving distracted in June with 87 per cent involving cellphone use. Hargrave said the numbers are a concern.

“We are going to have to look at the penalties and possibly make some changes there,” he said, adding his staff have already been looking at it.

The current fine for distracted driving is $280 plus four demerit points under SGI’s Safe Driver Recognition Program. If someone gets two cellphone tickets within a year, their vehicle gets towed and impounded for a week. Hargrave said he cannot understand why people continue to drive distracted, knowing what the potential consequences can be.

“Somebody is going to get hurt. Somebody is going to lose their life,” he said.

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Last month, SGI released a new multi-media ad campaign to address distracted driving and to show the human impact. The message of the campaign is clear: distracted driving kills. Don’t miss out on life.

Prince Albert Police Service

The Prince Albert Police Service issued 39 cell phone tickets in June. Sgt Terry Epp is with the police service traffic division.

“Unfortunately we see it every single day, and just holding your phone constitutes using your phone,” he said.

Epp said some drivers he pulls over, will right away own up to what they have done and even hand over their cell phones, while others will attempt to deny what they have done.

“And we get people trying to justify using their phone, saying they are expecting an important message and that they couldn’t wait to pull over to give a reply,” he said.

Epp said he could not agree or disagree with Hargrave’s suggestion that stiffer penalties may be the answer. Epp explained from his own experience, when a person gets a ticket they are more concerned with the point value on their drivers license than they are the fine that’s imposed on the cell phone ticket itself

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell