Possible New Distracted Driving Laws

[Trashy]

Some Alberta drivers are calling on the province to adopt similar penalties for distracted driving as Ontario.

Stiff penalties passed by the Ontario government came into effect on Jan. 1. Under the new law, an Ontario motorist caught distracted driving for the first time could face a $1,000 fine, three demerit points and a three-day license suspension.

If there are second and third convictions within five years, the fines double and triple, respectively. Each instance would also result in six demerit points. Drivers would lose their licence for seven days upon the second conviction, and 30 days upon the third conviction.

- If this does go through, I hope it applies to EVERYONE that drives, as I have seen cops on the phone cut off other drivers and not know it. And it's not like I can take a pic or vid while driving to prove it LOL​

[SUB][/SUB]​

 

[doorfx]

Some Alberta drivers are calling on the province to adopt similar penalties for distracted driving as Ontario.

Stiff penalties passed by the Ontario government came into effect on Jan. 1. Under the new law, an Ontario motorist caught distracted driving for the first time could face a $1,000 fine, three demerit points and a three-day license suspension.

If there are second and third convictions within five years, the fines double and triple, respectively. Each instance would also result in six demerit points. Drivers would lose their licence for seven days upon the second conviction, and 30 days upon the third conviction.

- If this does go through, I hope it applies to EVERYONE that drives, as I have seen cops on the phone cut off other drivers and not know it. And it's not like I can take a pic or vid while driving to prove it LOL​

[SUB][/SUB]​

Dash cam

 

[gunner3006]

From what I hear the distracted driving ticket is nasty but it’s nothing compared to what there doing to your auto insurance. My brother got one last spring. He paid it and didn’t tell his wife. Then there renewal was in August. The renewal came in the mail and there insurance went up $900/year. She called and they told her that there was a distracted driving ticket on there abstract now. There both in there 30’s and insurance was quite low. Not anymore.

 

[Trashy]

Dash cam

Good idea, but doesn't work while passing. But does work while watching it happen

 

[Trashy]

From what I hear the distracted driving ticket is nasty but it’s nothing compared to what there doing to your auto insurance. My brother got one last spring. He paid it and didn’t tell his wife. Then there renewal was in August. The renewal came in the mail and there insurance went up $900/year. She called and they told her that there was a distracted driving ticket on there abstract now. There both in there 30’s and insurance was quite low. Not anymore.

I got one last year. I'll call my insurance company tomorrow, when they are open again. I do know I'm paying $372/month with everything under 1 policy, which does seem higher to me now. Thinkin I was closer to $322/month
Thanks for the post, because I'm really starting to think about that now.

 

[pfi572]

If you have gotten a ticket for distracting driving your insurance is going up at renewal time .
Quit texting and driving .
RCMP are always above the law as they are the law . Lol

 

[arff]

Apple Car Play or android Auto work great for texting using voice.

 

[RXN]

It's so hard to define distracted driving.

A simple conversation between driver and a passenger can be a distraction.
Simply adjusting the heater controls or radio can be a distraction.

I understand they are looking more for the major distractions such as cell phones and eating. But is there a line they are going to draw stating in black and white what a distraction is?

A while ago global had a story on a BC woman fined because her cell phone was in the cup holder of her car. How does that constitute as a distraction?


Even a single parent with kids in the back seat. That creates a major distraction for the parent.

 

[snopro]

Insurance rates in Alberta have gone up across the board recently. Something to do with a government cut back I heard.

 

[teamgreen]

Insurance rates in Alberta have gone up across the board recently. Something to do with a government cut back I heard.

The previous NDP government had put a cap on insurance increases. Insurance companies could only increase rates by a certain percentage each year. The current UCP government did away with the cap so now insurance companies can increase as much as they want.

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/ucp-opt-not-to-renew-cap-on-auto-insurance-rates

 

[DUS]

I always love when it says something like “Alberta drivers are calling for stricter laws”
Who in their right mind would be calling for stricter laws on something like this? I can’t think of one person that would be for giving them more reasons to ticket us at their discretion.

 

[doorfx]

The mother who had her son killed by a distracted driver might .

 

[Teth-Air]

Either you can drive or you can't drive. I have seen many people multi-task very well while driving. I have even seen cops using their left hand to steer while typing on their laptops with their right. And then there are many who cannot drive and as soon as someone else is in the vehicle with them they are lost in conversation and have no clue what is going on around them. I do not believe that these people are any better than someone on their cell phone. Just look around as you drive, the cars driving slower usually have 2 or more people in them because they are thinking about other things while they hold up traffic. Some will not be happy that I said this but you know yourself if you are "Calling the kettle black" just because your distraction is not being targeted.

 

[DUS]

Fair
But it always seems to me that these types of laws don’t stop the people who are actually the problem. I’ll see people driving down the highway clearly texting staring down at their lap and it’ll probably be the guy switching songs at a red light who will get a ticket.

Like tightening up the drinking and driving laws. Does it really get the die hard drunks off the road or does it just hurt the guy that had a beer after hockey or glass of wine with his wife while out for supper.
Genuinely curious with this type of thing.

 

[freeflorider]

Makes me wounded how we have made it this far with out rules, beer and phones have been around for a while but stupid unqualified drivers are showing up on the streets every day. Perhaps to qualify for a drivers license you need to be drunk, chatting on a phone and stay between the cones...practice makes perfect.

 

[snochuk]

Makes me wounded how we have made it this far with out rules, beer and phones have been around for a while but stupid unqualified drivers are showing up on the streets every day. Perhaps to qualify for a drivers license you need to be drunk, chatting on a phone and stay between the cones...practice makes perfect.

If you could trust law enforcement to apply the law with common sense I would vote for this.
There should be a mandatory sensor that cuts phone out when car in motion.
Only function to work would be 911.
The fine $ value is not excessive, kind if light actually to be a deterrent
Insurance double whammy is a bit much but hey - stay off the dam phone.
Just like impared who are you to indanger the lives of others over a BS phone call????
Drive around Edmonton and the amount of people on phones is retarded.

 

[Cyle]

Either you can drive or you can't drive. I have seen many people multi-task very well while driving. I have even seen cops using their left hand to steer while typing on their laptops with their right. And then there are many who cannot drive and as soon as someone else is in the vehicle with them they are lost in conversation and have no clue what is going on around them. I do not believe that these people are any better than someone on their cell phone. Just look around as you drive, the cars driving slower usually have 2 or more people in them because they are thinking about other things while they hold up traffic. Some will not be happy that I said this but you know yourself if you are "Calling the kettle black" just because your distraction is not being targeted.

I think the very worst drivers aren't distracted they are just horrible drivers and nothing will change that. Yea the people who text while driving and have near misses or hit things are retarded and this law might help that a bit, the rest I don't buy that it's making the roads safer. Someone stopped at a light using their phone is not a safety issue. Whether you use bluetooth or hold the phone up to your ear the most distracting part of the phone call is the talking, if you let it be a distraction. I still see idiots driving with a dog in the front seat or in their lap, why the fawk aren't they handing out distracted driving tickets for that?

If they really wanted to make the roads safer ticket these dumbasses who don't know how to change lanes, don't know what a signal light is for, cut people off, etc. I think if cops started getting picky with that stuff driving habits would improve. But right now no one cares you can do that stuff in front of a cop because they won't even think of stopping you.

A few weeks ago I witnessed a accident, a older guy who made a left turn right in front of this lady, it wasn't even close. I wasn't paying enough attention to see if he was on his phone or anything, but people driving like idiots is just a regular occurrence that I doubt any law will solve.

And the most dangerous thing so many people do driving? Cutting off heavy trucks. It's a regular occurrence for me to have a close call where some idiot is playing russian roulette with their life but are completely oblivious to it. It's bad enough I don't even stress about it anymore, i've got my dash cam to protect myself and my opinion on it is, you're that fawking stupid that you think 100,000lbs can stop as fast as you're little chitbox, you can suffer the consequences.

 

[Cyle]

The previous NDP government had put a cap on insurance increases. Insurance companies could only increase rates by a certain percentage each year. The current UCP government did away with the cap so now insurance companies can increase as much as they want.

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/ucp-opt-not-to-renew-cap-on-auto-insurance-rates

That is what you got from the article? Man you really read what you want to eh? My rates pre-NDP and during NDP were no different. A lot of the NDP cap just helped retarded drivers who get an insane amount of claims from insurance companies putting their rates through the roof where they belong. Actually I bet under the UCP roads will be safer as some of these idiots won't be able to afford insurance anymore. Rates jumping a lot now is a result of companies not being able to cover losses from dumbasses in those years and now everyone has to pay for it, instead of people who caused them. Pre-NDP I never had a single complaint about my premiums.

 

[teamgreen]

That is what you got from the article? Man you really read what you want to eh? My rates pre-NDP and during NDP were no different. A lot of the NDP cap just helped retarded drivers who get an insane amount of claims from insurance companies putting their rates through the roof where they belong. Actually I bet under the UCP roads will be safer as some of these idiots won't be able to afford insurance anymore. Rates jumping a lot now is a result of companies not being able to cover losses from dumbasses in those years and now everyone has to pay for it, instead of people who caused them. Pre-NDP I never had a single complaint about my premiums.

I know your rates in pre-NDP and NDP era were very much the same. I don't think you understand the rate cap.

Its a fact that NDP had a rate cap. And by a rate cap that means they could only increase your premiums a certain percent per year. So lets say in 2016 if you were paying $1000/year for auto insurance. In 2017 the NDP government put a cap on auto insurance premiums to 5%. So when you renewed in 2017 you would pay $1050, and in 2018 it would be $1102.50. So here we are in 2019, and the cap was removed by the UCP government.

The insurance companies were actually losing money in Alberta for the last few years. The company my dad was CEO of actually didn't renew most of their auto policies in Alberta. Now that the cap has been removed insurance companies are increasing rates trying to recoup their loses from the last few years. They are hitting everyone with increases, especially those with distracted driving tickets.

Does that make sense? I don't read what I want, but I was speaking about something I know.

 

[lilduke]

That is what you got from the article? Man you really read what you want to eh? My rates pre-NDP and during NDP were no different. A lot of the NDP cap just helped retarded drivers who get an insane amount of claims from insurance companies putting their rates through the roof where they belong. Actually I bet under the UCP roads will be safer as some of these idiots won't be able to afford insurance anymore. Rates jumping a lot now is a result of companies not being able to cover losses from dumbasses in those years and now everyone has to pay for it, instead of people who caused them. Pre-NDP I never had a single complaint about my premiums.

More likely the dumb asses will just drive around with no insurance