The Government of B.C. has announced plans to designate distracted driving as a high-risk driving behaviour, upping the cost of tickets for those who text and drive.
This means a driver with two distracted driving tickets in a three-year period would see their total financial penalties rise to as much as $2,000 – an increase of $740 over the existing penalties. This is in addition to their regular insurance premium.
“Once implemented, this change will treat distracted driving as the serious high-risk behaviour that it is; one that is on par with impaired driving and excessive speeding,” said Attorney General David Eby.
Far-Reaching Consequences
Distracted driving is a factor in more than 25% of all car crash fatalities in B.C., killing an average of 78 people each year. Currently, there are about 12,000 drivers in British Columbia that have multiple distracted-driving offences over a three-year period.
When fully implemented, the changes will result in about $3 million to $5 million in additional premiums collected annually, which will be used to offset ICBC’s overall basic insurance rate pressures, benefiting drivers around the province.
“It is mind-boggling to see that people still believe that picking up their phone, for even a split second, while driving is safe. Two seconds of looking at your screen is all it takes to cross the lane into oncoming traffic,” said Paula Pepin, who was the victim of a serious crash caused by a distracted driver and whose life has been forever affected.
Quick Facts
- Changes would be in effect for convictions beginning March 1, 2018.
- The Driver Risk Premium charges are separate from Autoplan vehicle insurance premiums and are billed even if the individual does not own or insure a vehicle.
- As is the case today, drivers with multiple distracted violations in any one year will continue have their driving record subject to automatic review, which could result in a three-to-12-month driving prohibition.
- Distracted driving relates to those drivers caught using a hand-held electronic device while behind the wheel.
