ICBC is continuing to crack down on distracted drivers in British Columbia.
Road Safety and Community Coordinator Ingrid Brakop says, this month, ICBC and their police partners are reminding drivers to make good decisions when they get behind the wheel.
“Which means, when you get into your vehicle, leave your cell phone alone. Which means, put it on airplane mode, or put it on driving mode.”
Brakop says, people are 5 times more likely to crash if they’re using their phone, not to mention it is illegal to do so.
“And as of March 1st, the legislation around driving infractions has changed. So drivers with two or more convictions for the use of electronic devices, they will experience a much higher premium, and they could pay as much as 2,000 dollars in penalties.”
On top of those fines, new technology will be brought out to combat distracted driving.
Brakop says, police are going to be testing out scopes that will help them look in to vehicles to determine if drivers are in fact on their cell phones.
She says, it will hit drivers’ wallets hard if they’re caught behind the wheel using a mobile device.