Police want you to send them photos of distracted drivers
Posted September 5, 2013 2:20 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Do you ever get angry when you’re driving next to someone who is texting and driving?
Police are encouraging you to take a picture of that person in the act.
Victoria Police Chief Jamie Graham has made it clear this should only be done by someone in the passenger seat. He suggests passengers snap a photo of the distracted driver and their licence plate, if possible.
“If the case is serious and/or egregious, you should contact the police and insist that you’re prepared to go to court. if you’re prepared to do that, we’re prepared to [recommend charges against] the registered owner and take them to court.”
“And then they’ll have to explain to a judge why whoever was loaned the car — or they, personally — engaged in this kind of behaviour,” he adds.
Graham even wants you to go out of your way to take a photo of a distracted driver. He suggests you drive slowly down one lane while the other lane is stopped.
“Knowing that your fellow citizens are prepared to go to court and testify against [you], we think that’s important.”
Police also want tougher legislation for distracted driving, including stiffer fines.
Privacy group questions effectiveness
A local privacy group has a lot of questions about the police’s idea to get people to snap photos of distracted drivers.
Micheal Vonn with the BC Civil Liberties Association wants to know if it’s even an effective way to catch drivers. She also wonders why officers don’t do a test run before asking you to help out.
“Whether you might not be, in fact, creating more distraction in terms of these sorts of actions on the road. I think that’s a fair question.”
Vonn is also hoping police explain where the idea came from. “It would be interesting to know whether this was something that was dreamed up or are these campaigns that have been initiated elsewhere that we [police] actually have some understanding about. Whether they work, whether they operate, are they effective?”
Police are clarifying it would only be your passenger being allowed to take a photo of someone texting or talking on their cell behind the wheel, that image would then be used to help recommend and possibly lay charges.
