The BC Highway Patrol handed out over 100 tickets over a period of four days to motorists who were caught on their phones while driving.
These tickets were administered by the Capital Regional District’s Integrated Road Safety Unit (IRSU) between October 8th and 11th.
IRSU say they focussed on major intersections in Saanich, Victoria, Langford and Sidney, specifically.
Officers’ focus in this campaign was not speeding, but rather looking for drivers using their cell phones, not wearing their seatbelts and running red lights.
“As mornings are getting darker earlier drivers are reminded to leave their phones alone and concentrate on the road where there are numerous vulnerable road users,” said Inspector Adam Tallboy, the Officer in Charge of BC Highway Patrol, Vancouver Island.
“We all need to pay greater attention to children and pedestrians in crosswalks and school zones.”
According to ICBC statistics, nearly half (42%) of crashes involving pedestrians occur between October and January. This is due in part to weather and visibility worsening in BC.
Additionally, an average 286 pedestrians are injured in crashes each year on Vancouver Island, according to ICBC.
The BC Highway Patrol is reminding drivers to focus on the road, and leave their phone and other distractions alone while driving, while pedestrians are reminded to wear bright reflective clothing, put their cell phone down, make eye contact with drivers and use designated crosswalks.
The switch to daylight time is just around the corner, which will exacerbate potential hazards in the early morning hours.
