Distracted Driving Tickets Issued Increase in Cape Breton

According to a report from CBC, the number of tickets issued for distracted driving is now twice the amount of tickets issued for drinking and driving in Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

Sgt. Joe Farrell of the traffic safety division said that more than 80 tickets were issued for impaired driving in 2015, while 177 tickets were issued for drivers using a cell phone while behind the wheel. Farrell said:

“It is more alarming than it is surprising. If they see some of the collisions that we investigate, how quickly things can happen, a second or two makes a huge difference.”

According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, about 75 percent of Canadians admit to driving while distracted. The bureau said that drivers increase their chances of being involved in a collision by 23 times.

Tom Levesque, the bureau manager of government relations, said that distracted driving can be as dangerous as drinking and driving.

Police issued a two-hour operation in Cape Breton at an intersection in downtown Sydney this week netted 10 tickets for distracted driving, with a fine of $237.50 and four demerit points.