Nova Scotians still texting and driving: traffic cop
Posted Feb 1, 2010 04:40:07 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The grace period for distracted drivers in Ontario and British Columbia is over and in Nova Scotia police are still seeing a string of drivers talking and texting.
Sgt. Al Afleck with the Colchester RCMP says they had a crash last week involving a tractor trailer where the driver was both impaired and texting.
“The impairment was a contributing factor but I believe after we found out later, more of a contributing fact was the fact he was driving a tractor trailer and texting at the same time,” says Afleck.
The truck took out 200 feet of culvert, however no one was hurt.
Metro’s top traffic cop Sgt. Mike Spearns agrees texting is even more dangerous than hand held cell phone use.
“I find an awful lot of young people are holding their blackberry and they’re re texting and their heads are down at a red light,” says Spearns.
As part of the Ontario law if a driver challenges a $155 ticket, the judge has the discretion to knock it down to as low as $60 or boost it up to $500.
