TORONTO -- Calls are growing louder for stiffer penalties in Ontario for motorists caught driving while using their cellphones.
The insurance industry says such distracted driving has overtaken drunk driving as the most serious danger on the roads.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada says it has seen four times as many motorists charged with distracted driving on long weekends as those charged with drunk driving.
Advocates are urging the governing Liberals to impose larger fines and more demerit points for drivers convicted of distracted driving.
Other provinces and territories have already started using demerit points to help enforce their laws, which advocates say will go a long way to reduce distracted driving.
A private member's bill that proposes to bring in these changes received all party support last week in the legislature.
