September 20th, 2011
The Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario/opp-takes-aim-at-drivers-using-cellphones/article2162204/
"Phone in one hand, ticket in the other" - that is the new slogan for this week's campaign. The OPP are cracking down on texting/talking drivers with fines of $155 if caught using a cell phone while driving. Since the beginning of the month, officers have had to hand out double the tickets and fines than the same period of time in 2010. Even though these have caused already 5, 000 crashes, this month alone, drivers continue to use their phones while driving. I think this is a good thing...in fact I think they should have done this a long time ago. This should be a wake-up call to everyone who talks or texts behind the wheel of a car. These types of distractions are what send people to the hospital and lose lives every month. There is a thing called Bluetooth or "hands-free" which allows people to talk without using there phone to do so. People should invest in such an instrument so that we can reduce the amount of collisions on the roads! Wake up society and realize that you could be putting yourself, your passengers, or other drivers and passengers in danger of a trip to the hospital or worse.
Yes I also think it is very important that the police are cracking down and making sure that people are not alert and aware while driving. For young drivers, or teenagers just getting their license, they need to either have bluetooth or just not talk or text while driving at all. From 2000 through 2004, there were 44,192 accidental deaths in Canada; 32% of them were the result of motor vehicle accidents. In the 15 to 24 age group, car accident deaths accounted for 70% of all accidental deaths. Motor vehicle accidents remain a leading cause of death for young people. There have been way too many deaths from car accidents! So yes, I agree that the police should continue to enforce the law.
ReplyDeleteI believe this a great idea! Its time that the government is making a stand.I agree with mitch's
ReplyDeletestatement that drivers should use Bluetooth. This will help people from accidents and will safe them money from the high phone tickets. I hope everybody starts using bluetooth so we wont see this sitution in the future. Great article Mitch