The options are pay attention or pay up, now that Saanich and Victoria police have launched distracted-driving campaigns.
In Victoria, traffic officers have begun riding B.C. Transit buses — a first for them — to search out violations from a perch above the average vehicle. Two officers at a time will be on the No. 4 and No. 6 buses, looking for misuse of electronic devices and other forms of distracted driving.
When they see an infraction, they relay information to police cars travelling behind the bus.
Insurance Corporation of B.C. statistics show just how dangerous distracted driving can be, said Saanich police Sgt. Steve Eassie.
“The numbers don’t lie. You are four times more likely to be involved in an accident if you are using a cellphone. You’re 23 times more likely to get in a crash if you are texting.”
Eassie also cited ICBC figures that estimate an average of 91 people die on the province’s roads each year due to some form of distracted driving.
He said distracted driving can arise from more than using electronic devices — actions such as reading, eating or applying makeup.
“These are all things that we see. I’ve seen it where a young lady was eating a bowl of cereal with milk and trying to put on makeup at the same time that she was driving.”
The task of driving is already hard enough, Eassie said: “Driving is something that requires multi-tasking anyway, to add further complications is just mind-boggling.”
He said the use of cellphones and other devices by drivers has to be addressed.
“It’s a problem. It’s rampant.”
The Saanich campaign generated 57 tickets over its first five days, all for using an electronic device while driving. A distracted-driving ticket carries a fine of $167.
Eassie noted that some drivers seem to be unaware that once they’re behind the wheel, electronics are
off-limits unless they are connected to a hands-free system such as Bluetooth.
“It cannot be in the driver’s hand in any way, shape or form, even when they’re stopped in traffic or stopped at a red light.”
Sgt. Glen Shiels of the Victoria traffic division said the bus-riding plan shows that police will use a range of techniques to make the roads safer. A few weeks ago, officers monitored drivers while dressed in street clothes and standing on traffic medians; late last year they posed as construction-zone flaggers.
Officers on buses “is just one of the tools in the tool chest,” said Victoria police Const. Mike Russell. Eassie said Saanich has employed similar measures to Victoria in the past.
