Increased penalties for distracted driving goes into effect today, after the B.C. Government stated plans to crack down in November.
Distracted driving will now be considered high-risk driving behaviour, which put’s it in the same class as impaired driving and excessive speeding.
Drivers with two distracted driving offenses over a three-year period could see total penalties of up to $2000, in addition to the usual increase of insurance premiums.
Deaths and injuries related to distracted driving have continued to climb, as 78 deaths per year in British Columbia are attributed to the cause. It’s been a factor in roughly 25% of all car crash fatalities in B.C.
