Cell phone use while driving continues to be a major problem across Nova Scotia and the Maritimes, which is why police are once again sending out a message: DON’T DO IT.
Constable Chad Morrison with Nova Scotia RCMP, says looking down at your cell phone for even one second while behind the wheel, is enough to have dire consequences.
“You have to look at what things could potentially happen on the roadway in front of you in that amount of time and how disastrous that could be in terms of collisions, injury and death,” says Morrison.
Police right across the province continue to see motorists driving with cell phones in hand; whether texting or talking, and in many cases, Cst. Morrison notes many drivers are aware of police to the point where they not to not get caught.
“People see our vehicles, they curb that behaviour long enough to avoid detection,” says Morrison, adding, “we’ve had to come up with ways to try and detect it and enforce it without being detected ourselves.”
Morrison notes taking your eyes off the road even for a second can be deadly.
Under the Provincial Highway Traffic Act, the fine for Distracted Driving in Nova Scotia is currently $237.50.
Story by Craig Power
@CraigTPower
Above Photo: Contributed by Nova Scotia RCMP, June 2018