RCMP in Manitoba Issued 310 Distracted Driving Tickets in Latest Blitz

The RCMP has handed out 77 percent more tickets in this year’s distracted driving month blitz than last year.

Just last month, the RCMP handed out a total of 310 distracted driving tickets in Manitoba. This is significantly higher than the 175 tickets they handed out last April.

In a statement to CBC News, RCMP Traffic Sgt. Mark Hume said that most people are aware of the dangers of distracted driving but they think they are somehow immune to the risks associated with it. Hume said:

“I think if you asked most people to close their eyes and drive a football field with their eyes closed they would never, ever do that. But in essence that’s what they’re doing every time they look down at their phone. You look down for a split second on your phone and you could be running over a kid or an animal or hitting another vehicle.”

Manitoba has some of the harshest penalties in Canada for distracted driving, including a $203.80 fine and results in five demerits.