Toronto police are using an ominous symbol to try to crack down on distracted driving in the city.
Giving an unusual twist to their latest enforcement campaign, traffic services officers are driving around in a black hearse, complete with Toronto Police Service logos and flashing lights, to raise public awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and to catch people who are driving with a cellphone, MP3 player or another electronic device in their hand.
The one-week safety campaign, called “That Text or Call Could End It All,” runs until Sunday.
After he was ticketed in downtown Toronto on Monday, a driver named Andy said the hearse caught him off guard.
“I was a little shocked to see a hearse beside me and an officer step out of it,” Andy told CP24 traffic and safety specialist Cam Woolley.
Andy said he was stopped at a red light when he pulled out his cellphone. He said he learned his lesson after being caught up in the enforcement campaign.
Since 2011, Toronto police have laid more than 55,000 charges for offences related to distracted driving.
