A weeklong crackdown on distracted drivers resulted in more than 2,500 charges laid by Toronto police.
The campaign, dubbed "Last Call: Whatever You Have to Say Can Wait," was timed to mark the one-year anniversary of Ontario enforcing its ban on hand-held electronic devices while driving.
Toronto police laid the following charges during the campaign, which ended Sunday:
- 114 charges for a display screen visible to the driver
- 2,226 charges for handheld communication device
- 102 charges for handheld entertainment device
- 122 charges were laid for careless driving
All four categories saw substantial increases in the number of charges laid over a similar police blitz last year.
Under the new law, drivers are banned from talking, texting, or emailing on cellphones or using other handheld devices that are not related to navigating the vehicle.
While Bluetooth or the use of headsets are allowed under the law, Superintendent Ear Witty of Toronto Police Traffic Services said "people should realize that the true danger to public safety lies in the distraction, not the device."
Traffic Services Sgt. Tim Burrows said drivers who use handheld electronic devices are 23 per cent more likely to be involved in an accident and drivers talking on their phones are four times more likely to be involved in a crash.
Drivers ticketed under the distracted driving legislation face a fine of $155.
