Legislation

Handheld devices being banned in cars

The legislation introduced by the provincial Liberal government governing cellphone use in vehicles is pragmatic and politically palatable, in that it is incremental in its approach to removing driver distractions.

Transportation Minister Jim Bradley acknowledged that while distractions are a major cause of accidents on the province's highways, cellphones are not the only distraction, though they are a growing issue.

The bill proposes a fine of up to $500 for using handheld cellphones while driving, though no demerit points will be assigned. However, in serious cases drivers can be charged with careless driving if they put others at risk while using handheld devices, which carries stiffer penalties.

Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and Nova Scotia already have such a ban and other provinces are considering it.

The law still permits the use of hands-free devices, such as Bluetooth systems, though it bans text messaging, global-positioning systems and sending e-mails while driving.

And most cellphones have speaker capability, so drivers can pull over, make a call, then switch to speaker to continue on.

The Liberals took their now well-trodden approach to this bill, by first refusing to ban handheld phones, then Premier Dalton McGuinty mused about the idea after two tragic accidents and, after seeing no massive public backlash, the bill was introduced.

It is a needed bill. Anyone who has ever been a passenger in a vehicle in which the driver insists on checking e-mails on a Blackberry -- they just can't wait -- and then responds while driving, likely took note of the airbags and tightened up the seatbelt as the car weaved about the road. It's not an uncommon sight.

The province of Quebec says cellphone use while driving contributed to 24 fatal crashes from 2000 to 2006.

But drivers will still apply make-up, tie their neckties, eat their fast-food, drink coffee or change their CDs. All are distractions, all of which contribute to the accident rate.

The Canada Safety Council notes that all sorts of distractions contribute to accidents, but it also stresses that road crashes remain the leading cause of death for young people in Canada.

And cellphone use among younger people is becoming common.

Opponents of the ban prefer education, but experience shows people are willing to take risks unless penalties are attached. It takes enforcement and education -- one rarely works without the other; seatbelt use and drinking and driving are prime examples.

The ban on hand-held cellphone use will likely become law, as it should, but drivers must still learn to resist the omni-present distractions around them.

(Published by The Sudbury Star - October 29, 2008)