View From the Legislature

Distracted driving can come in many forms. But certainly the one that has become top of mind in terms of concerns for road safety is distraction caused by the use of a cellular phone while driving. The prevalence of smartphones has greatly changed our way of life. In many ways it has made staying connected to loved ones and our world easier. But it has also come at a cost on our roads as more and more drivers are looking at their phones when they should be looking at the road.

On Tuesday of this week, our government announced further changes to discourage people from driving distracted and putting the lives of other drivers at risk. Changes will come into force November 1, 2018 that are intended to keep Manitobans safer. As of November 1, a first-time distracted driving offence will result in a three-day driving suspension. Repeat offenders will face a seven-day suspension for occurrences within 10 years. Manitobans need to take distracted driving seriously, and we believe that these consequences will help encourage better driving habits.

The fines for distracted driving will also increase to $672, and there will be a new $50 fee to reinstate roadside license suspensions. The demerit penalty will also increase from two demerits to five, making license renewals and insurance premiums increase for those caught. Drivers across Manitoba need to realize the effects that distracted driving can have.

We know that there are a number of things which contribute to safety on our roads. One key factor is ensuring that our roads and bridges have proper maintenance and are suitable for the traffic loads that they need to carry. However, perfect driving conditions on perfect infrastructure will not prevent collisions if drivers are not actually looking at the road when they are operating a vehicle. And the consequence has been proving deadly as the number of collisions and fatalities attributable to distracted driving continues to increase.

In addition to penalties, public education continues to be an important part of the strategy to reduce distracted driving. MPI will be undertaking a public awareness campaign to make sure that Manitobans are aware of the serious danger that driving while using your cell phone can have and the new consequences for doing so. Of course, as mentioned, distracted driving is not just the use of a cellular phone when operating a vehicle. In can involve doing a number of things that prevent a person from driving safely. However, it is important to focus special attention on the issue of driving distracted because of cellular phone use because the statistics show how serious the problem has become.

In fact, penalties mirror impaired driving penalties because distracted driving is just as serious and can have equally deadly consequences. Distracted driving was the leading cause of collisions in 2017. 30 people lost their lives and over 180 were injured because of distracted driving in the last year alone. We hope that through education and enforcement, Manitobans will think twice before using a cellular phone while driving.