Police issue flurry of distracted driving tickets in school zone

RCMP are concerned about the high number of distracted drivers they are seeing.

In a two-hour period on November 17, the Kelowna RCMP Traffic Unit issued 20 distracted driving tickets during enforcement in the 600 block of Raymer Avenue within a school zone.

Another ten drivers managed to avoid a fine only because officers were unable to keep up with all the violations.

“Considering this location was inside a school zone and the roads being icy, these numbers are very concerning to all us” said Constable Mike Della-Paolera, Kelowna RCMP media relations officer.

Every distracted driving ticket comes with a $368 fine and adds four driver penalty points to your driving record. This could result in a further penalty, if a driver has four or more points at the end of 12 months that person will pay a Driver Penalty Point (DPP) premium.

According to ICBC, an average of 76 people die yearly in crashes where distracted driving is a contributing factor. It is responsible for over one-quarter (27 per cent) of all car crash fatalities in B.C.

Using a hand-held device has been prohibited in B.C. since 2010, including while stopped at a red light or stop sign.