Police watching for coffee drinkers, dogs on laps in distracted driving crackdown

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – What will it take to drive home the message about the dangers of distracted driving?

Vancouver Police, ICBC and the province are launching another information campaign today, targeting drivers who aren’t just using their cell phones behind the wheel.

Everything from doing your makeup to eating your dinner to drinking your coffee takes your focus off the road.

“If it obstructs with the driver’s ability to drive his or her vehicle, then we can issue tickets for that,” says VPD Constable Brian Montague. “We’d have to look at driver’s view was obstructed or passenger obstructing someone’s view or driving without due care and attention… those types of offenses.”

He adds they will also be looking out for people driving with a dog on their lap.

NEWS 1130 asked Montague if someone has to die in a distracted driving case for people to get the point.

“It almost seems that way. People still don’t seem to get the very simple message. If your phone rings while you’re behind the wheel, don’t answer it. No text, no phone call is as important as somebody’s life.”

The VPD has handed out 5,700 tickets to drivers using their cell phones so far this year. That’s down from 6,400 last year.

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