RCMP on lookout for drivers using cell phones
Yukon RCMP are conducting a traffic enforcement blitz across the territory today looking for people using hand-held cell phones while driving.
Yukon RCMP are conducting a traffic enforcement blitz across the territory today looking for people using hand-held cell phones while driving.
“Driving requires your full attention,” police said in a statement.
“Distractions can compromise your judgment and affect your ability to drive safely, so it is important to stay focused and mindful at all times. This is especially true with cell phone use while driving.”
Using an electronic device while driving carries a $575 fine and three driver’s licence demerit points.
The blitz is focusing on those “who don’t pay attention while sharing our roads. This is especially dangerous in the winter season we are now in with our changing road and environmental conditions.”
According to data from Transport Canada’s National Collision Database, distracted driving contributed to an estimated 21 per cent of fatal collisions and 27 per cent of serious injury collisions in 2016.
These statistics are part of an upward trend of distracted driving-related collisions, up from 16 per cent of fatal collisions and 22 per cent of serious injury collisions a decade earlier.
“Everyone has a part to play in managing Yukon’s safe roads and safe communities,” said Staff Sgt. Jonathan Saxby of RCMP District Operations.
“Cell phone use by people operating motor vehicles continue to be a significant traffic safety concern seen by the Yukon RCMP.
“Driving and cell phone conversations both require a great deal of thought. When doing them at the same time, your brain is unable to do either very well. This often results in crashes due to delayed braking times and not seeing traffic signals.
“It is important to have these conversations with young drivers at home and to lead by example,” Saxby added.
Police urge drivers to “please be mindful when you see flashing red and blue lights and slow your speed to make sure that the stopped officer and motorist remain safe.”
Comments (31)
Up 5 Down 5
Juniper Jackson on Nov 12, 2022 at 10:50 pm
Saturday..today.. on 2nd Ave, just after the turn to 2nd. There was a man in the road trying to stop vehicles..A woman in a dark grey car had to stop, he ran to her car and tried to get in it.. We were in the left hand lane and when she hit the gas, we did too. Did anyone hit him? Where were the RCMP? I don't have a cell phone.. but driving to get away from this dude, i probably would have used it to call them.. There was a day, I would have stopped to see if he was in trouble? Can i help? Not now. 2022..you don't stop for anyone or anything. Sad.
Up 16 Down 0
drum on Nov 12, 2022 at 4:47 pm
Good luck to the RCMP. I see drivers everyday steering with one hand and talking on their phones. Completely distracted.
Up 17 Down 1
Khoudung Flunghi on Nov 11, 2022 at 10:27 pm
Ever walked across the room and stubbed your toe or banged your head on a cupboard? Hurts doesn't it?
Now try it at 100 kph.
Airplane mode works great. Messages will still be there in 20 minutes and so will you.
Up 9 Down 8
Josey Wales on Nov 11, 2022 at 9:17 pm
Anie...a long dead father, maybe a new person in his room already?
I know how to drive, and properly pull over.
Lots of things annoy me, folks properly pulled outta traffic is not one of them.
I am saturated with the Karen factor, Kung Flu turned an entire society into hall monitors, gate keepers and general nosy assholes...done with those folks.
Besides knowing how to function in traffic, I have a great ability to be as rude as the situation warrants when dealing with folks that “feel” I need their permission for a myriad of things.
Got this from the rainbow warriors, catchy really.
“Respect my existence, or expect resistance”
Kinda tied into parking, my wee rant.
Anie not directed at you or your feedback, just a general statement on folks minding their business not mine.
Up 11 Down 1
Anie on Nov 11, 2022 at 2:30 pm
Josey Wales many of us will probably experience those calls, especially since most Yukoners have family far away. Tell me, though, what would have been the consequence if you waited 10-15 minutes until you got to your destination before taking that call.
Up 13 Down 3
The folly of hands free… on Nov 10, 2022 at 4:30 pm
Dear bonanzajoe on Nov 9, 2022 at 7:34 pm:
The RCMP do receive training on radio/ phone use while driving. However, this does not mitigate the distractedness of their driving while doing these things.
However, police are exempt from the law on distracted driving if they engaging in these behaviours in the course of their duties. Off hours - They are subject to distracted driving laws.
The training they receive is to mitigate professional liability rather than to mitigate distractedness. Cognitive processes and cognitive loading are subject to human limitations.
The human mind is a “wanderer”. Most of human mental activity occurs unconsciously - Outside of our awareness. People cannot multitask - People switch task. We are not doing two things at once.
This is the crux of the problem.
Up 26 Down 5
Tater on Nov 10, 2022 at 3:40 pm
Interesting activity this afternoon (3:15 ish) at McDonalds. An ambulance service Subaru G47703(I think) going thru the drive thru. Driver was on his phone all the way from the ordering station to the exit onto the street. I couldn't see if he hung up before he pulled onto 4th avenue.
And he turned left despite a sign showing no left turn.
Setting a good example?
Up 15 Down 4
Michelle on Nov 10, 2022 at 12:10 pm
I use to eat and drive until I watched some canada's worst drivers. The have done shows on eating and driving. Most could not properly control their vehicle. They also did a show where they drove, talking on cell phones hands free. They were still very distracted. People would miss their turns, not see pedestrians, drive through red lights. Let's be careful out there.
Up 27 Down 3
TheHammer on Nov 10, 2022 at 9:33 am
Anie@ "In a place as small as Whitehorse." Whitehorse is no longer small. We are hooked into the world and the global reach of scammers, Yukon is overpopulated.
Up 29 Down 2
Groucho d'North on Nov 10, 2022 at 9:03 am
"RCMP on lookout for drivers using cell phones" while the rest of us must be on the lookout for those phone addicts looking at their phones while walking into other pedestrians and traffic trying to cross the road.
Up 5 Down 23
Dave on Nov 10, 2022 at 5:08 am
Traffic doesn’t move in Whitehorse!!
What else are you supposed to do?
Up 3 Down 16
Dave on Nov 10, 2022 at 4:41 am
I do more policing everyday, don’t see me getting shot.
Keep up the great work cow girls and cowboys.
Up 10 Down 10
Josey Wales on Nov 9, 2022 at 7:50 pm
Hey Anie...I can think of a circumstance.
Having a loved on on their last days, life support...hemorrhage begins, phone calls made to family.
I took a call like that once, never forget it.
But your point stands, is valid...just there is “a” circumstance.
Carry on please...
Up 10 Down 15
bonanzajoe on Nov 9, 2022 at 7:34 pm
@The folly of hands free…: How many cops were killed or injured in accidents while they were talking on their radios? Do they take a special course to do that?
Up 21 Down 6
bonanzajoe on Nov 9, 2022 at 7:30 pm
Pulled up alongside a taxi today. He was talking on his cell phone. No cops in sight. Why am I not surprised?
Up 8 Down 10
bonanzajoe on Nov 9, 2022 at 7:29 pm
@Mr Facts. My Grandmother wore a "manbun". I think the called them granny buns then.
Up 11 Down 5
Juniper Jackson on Nov 9, 2022 at 5:13 pm
Mr. Himbo: I hope your comment was made in jest..
The RCMP will also be looking for drunks, speeders and cars..check your lights!
Up 7 Down 17
Good driver on Nov 9, 2022 at 4:50 pm
I’m reading this while I drive.
Up 36 Down 9
Anie on Nov 9, 2022 at 3:09 pm
I agree with Alex, people who suddenly and partially pull off the road to answer their phone are a nuisance. What I don't understand, in a place as small as Whitehorse, is why any phone needs to be answered. I cannot think of a single circumstance where letting that call go to voicemail will result in any harm, no matter how important we may think we are.
Up 9 Down 38
Dave on Nov 9, 2022 at 2:52 pm
The only people that need RCMP, are the RCMP.
Up 10 Down 30
Dave on Nov 9, 2022 at 2:50 pm
I guess they think they’re the only ones driving around in vehicles that my tax dollars pay for, on their cell phones.
That’s a slap in my face.
Up 32 Down 6
YD on Nov 9, 2022 at 7:56 am
Mr Facts and Politico,
The announcement also implies that the police are always watching for distracted drivers, but with more of an emphasis on November 8. Issuing tickets isn't the goal of the RCMP. I'm assuming they've announced the blitz in the hopes that it will alter people's behavior so that tickets don't have to be written.
Up 29 Down 6
Good job on Nov 8, 2022 at 11:19 pm
Excellent! Give out lots of fines and then put that revenue into training. Everybody getting a license or having committed an offence should have to do training on distracted driving. Get them in a parking lot, make them drive with their eyes closed and record where they go. That is what distracted driving is....death sentence for all involved. And the fines need to go up. We still have some of the lowest fines in Canada. In other jurisdictions, you're looking at thousands for the same offence. Here you get a $500 fine for not yielding to a City bus, and almost the same for distracted driving. DD is way more dangerous.
Up 29 Down 5
Alex on Nov 8, 2022 at 10:30 pm
How about people that pull over to “safely talk on their phone”? I can’t believe people think it’s a good idea to suddenly pull over to answer a call and by pull over half their car is sitting in the active lane. It’s just a matter of time before a stopped car in rabbits foot canyon gets creamed in the back by a semi that can’t avoid them. I’ve had to swerve around these idiots many times. I guess some people have more faith in Yukon drivers than me(like those people riding fat tire bikes down 2 mile). Takes a lot of energy to stop a vehicle I don’t understand the theory purposely getting in one’s path and assuming it will go around you. Becoming roadkill seems like a horrible way to go out.
Up 18 Down 10
The folly of hands free… on Nov 8, 2022 at 4:57 pm
Dear Himbo on Nov 8, 2022 at 12:49 pm:
Pick up a book instead! iPhones are a distraction while driving. Unless of course you a Judge then you can escape the encumbrances of things like reality:
“Yukon Judge Don Luther says it was not illegal for [Name] to be driving with his phone lodged between his shoulder and his ear” (2015). The Judge’s use interpretive license here is dangerously myopic. The idea here is not where or how the phone is being used. It’s the idea that one is distracted by the mere act of doing two things at once and the law is about distracted driving; negligence, undue cars and attention kind of stuff.
It does not matter where the phone is. It’s still distracted driving:
“Many people think distracted driving means texting and driving, but texting and driving makes up only one part of distracted driving. Other types of distracted driving include playing with the radio, eating and drinking while driving, talking to passengers, and, yes, talking on a cellphone. This means if you are talking on the phone while driving—even with a hands-free device—you are still putting yourself and others at risk.”
“Did you know that as much as 94% of accidents are caused by driver error, as opposed to poor weather conditions or other factors? Thousands of people have died in crashes where cellphones were involved, and that statistic includes hands-free devices.“
FFS! “Research has indicated that talking on a cell phone while driving poses a safety threat to people both in the vehicle and on the road. This is because cell phone conversations take considerable cognitive, visual, and physical demands on the person involved in this task. However, research has also shown that people engage in risky driving behavior, even after being cognizant of the dangers associated with it.”
I don’t care if you’re hands free or not - DONT use cellphones or engage phone conversations while driving!
Judge Luther was irresponsible in his judgment.
Resources:
https://www.safewise.com/faq/auto-safety/use-cellphone-driving/
https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.2899980
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276205609_Cell_Phone_Conversation_While_Driving
Up 27 Down 9
Holy F@%k on Nov 8, 2022 at 4:44 pm
Why tf make an announcement about it??!!
Up 19 Down 34
Mr Facts on Nov 8, 2022 at 3:56 pm
Hey Pierre. Take your nonsense back to Quebec where they mandate winter tires. Winter tires gives bad drivers a false sense of security. Just like bear spray. Leave it to the hipsters with manbuns to tell us what is right and what isn't. #ontariostrong
Up 51 Down 16
Pierre on Nov 8, 2022 at 2:33 pm
No to condone distracting drivers but shouldn’t there be a onus on vehicles having proper tires during winter? I mean the first snow fall and days after there were a pile of accidents and vehicles in the ditch.
Up 73 Down 4
Politico on Nov 8, 2022 at 2:01 pm
What's the point of telling drivers they're out looking for offenders. Make it a surprise the other 364 days of the year!
Up 69 Down 11
Mr Facts on Nov 8, 2022 at 1:06 pm
Yeah, let's announce the date when we are doing this, makes sense. Surprised they don't mention what locations they will be at, lol.
Up 17 Down 85
Himbo on Nov 8, 2022 at 12:49 pm
Increasing the speed limits is a sure way to reduce people from using their cellphones… when your stuck in traffic going 10KM and hour or crawling through a 30KM school zone you get bored because your going so slow, so what do you do? You pull out your cellphone…. Now if your cruising 100-120KM, both your hands are on the steering wheel and you are paying way more attention than when you are going slow.
Not saying you these people should be using there cellphones but the fact is people do!