Ontario's distracted driving fines have increased by more than $100, a decision a recent poll suggests most Canadians support.
Eight out of 10 people surveyed said they believed that texting and driving should be a criminal offence, while 58 per cent thought any form of distracted driving should be illegal, according to a poll conducted by insurance company Kanetix.ca and polling firm Leger Marketing between Feb. 28 and March 3.
Including surcharges, the fine for using a cellphone or other handheld devices behind the wheel rose from $155 to $280 on Tuesday.
This is the first time the fine has increased since the ban on handheld communication and entertainment devices was instated in October 2009.
Toronto Police Const. Clint Stibbe told CTV News that he pulls over dozens of drivers each day who are on their mobile phones.
"They're essentially playing Russian roulette. They may not make it home that day because they've been too busy texting their friend," Stibbe said Tuesday, the same day police launched a one-day distracted driver blitz.
Stibbe said since the distracted driving laws were implemented in Ontario, compliance rate has been low.
"Since 2010 when we started issuing tickets in Toronto, up to the end of 2012, we wrote over 55,000 tickets," he said. "So the question is, why are we writing so many tickets?"
Last year, the Ontario Provincial Police said 78 people were killed in distracted driving-related collisions in the province, which is more than the deaths linked to drinking and driving.
The CAA is a supporter of greater distracted driving fines and demerit points for those caught using mobile devices while driving.
"We know that these types of sanctions, when people are caught, do work," said CAA director Teresa Di Felice.
On Monday, the province proposed even tougher penalties to punish drivers who are caught using handheld devices.
The new legislation would give a convicted driver three demerit points and increase the fines to range from $300 to $1,000.
"If that is what the set fine is going to be, then I would suggest we are going to see a serious number of individuals complying with the law, because they won't want to be facing that ticket," Stibbe said.
Elsewhere in Canada, eight provinces have passed legislation that sees distracted driving tickets coupled with demerit points.
In Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador, using your cell phone while driving will land you four demerit points.
Currently there are no demerit points associated with distracted driving in Ontario, and police do not confiscate handheld devices. However, if a driver endangers others because of distraction, he or she may be given demerit points as part of a "careless driving" or "dangerous driving" offence.
In the province of Ontario, a driver will be sent a warning letter if they have two to eight demerit points. When the total demerit points hit nine to 14, the driver risks a suspended licence. If a driver has 15 or more points, his or her licence will be suspended for 30 days.
The Ministry of Transportation website says that when drivers take their eyes off the road for more than two seconds, their risk of being in a crash doubles. A driver using a cellphone is four times more likely to be in a crash than a focused driver.
The distracted driving law makes it illegal for motorists to hold a device while driving, but they can use the device while legally parked or calling 911 in an emergency.
Drivers are also prohibited from viewing display screens, such as laptops or DVD players, while driving.
Hands-free devices are still permitted. Drivers may make hands-free calls, using an earpiece, headset, Bluetooth device or the vehicle's sound system.
Use of global positioning systems (GPS) is permitted, provided the device is secured to a dashboard or windshield.
With a report from CTV's Peter Akman
