Ontario Drivers May Be Fined For Using Cell Phones & Electronic Devices

[moogie 0]

Ontario, Canada's largest province by population, is considering banning the use of cell phones and other electronic devices while driving. Under this proposed new law, drivers could be fined as much as $500, plus possibly be faced with a $1000 fine for endangering others, 6 demerit points, license suspension and possibly jail time. I imagine that the extra fines and charges would be laid on repeat offenders or in the case where an accident was caused because of using these devices.

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Any hands-free devices, including cell phones and GPS systems, would still be allowed.

This makes perfect sense to me and I'd be very happy to have this law in place. I live in the greater Toronto area in Ontario, lots and lots of traffic, and the roads are full of people not paying attention while driving. How many times have you been on the road and seen someone swerving erractically because they're trying to dial a number or answer their phone? Or seen someone who almost ran into the car in front of them because their eyes weren't on the road? I've seen that too many times.

I've also seen people reading books and women putting on make up while driving. Maybe those should be banned too

[HappyHippie 0]

I very much agree. I dont like seeing people driving while talking on a phone or texting or any of that kind of stuff. It is scary with all the young teens we have these days thats all they seem to do is be on a phone and that with driving will become a bad combination. I have little kids that I have to worry about crossing the road. There was an incident here not to long back of a teen that had just got her license hadnt even had it a week and she was texting some friends and veered off to the side of the road and struck 2 young kids walking home from school one spent weeks in critical condition in the ICU and the other was pronounced dead when the ambulance arrived. And here in this state it is suppose to be illegal to drive and be on the phone unless its a hands free, but I still see it all the time.

[Jelly 0]

In my time in korea, a year or so ago, I've found that it's banned to use a cellphone normally while in a car. You can use a headset or something (hands free as said) though, which I see as much more efficient, and safer. I find that other activities should be banned, for they just distract the driver too much.

[Running With Scissors 0]

If any one here watch the mythbuster epidsode about Cell Phone Vs. Drunk Driving you'll know that driving with a cell phone is really dangerous and should be against the law. In that epidsode it proved that people did driving tests worse when on the cell phone then compared to when they are drunk. Thats scary. If driving drunk isn't allowed neither should driving while talking on a cell phone or anything like that. As a runner that runs on the side of roads I see a lot of people texting and they don't pay attention and sometimes they would hit me if I wasn't looking. I run on the other side of the white line so if I got hit it's there fault. This is the reason I run against traffic, so I can see it coming.

[amarti64 0]

I feel it's entirely reasonable. I once saw someone texting...on a motorcycle. No helmet, either, and going about 15 miles above the speed limit. If you take out the texting, the danger level goes down a lot. (Of course, there's still the problem of the speed limit and the lack of helmet, but I could go on about that for hours.

[iGuest 3]

Not Just TeensOntario Drivers May Be Fined For Using Cell Phones & Electronic Devices

HappyHippie, its hardly limited to the teen population. I see more middle aged men and women who can't seem to pick a lane driving while talking. Businesses have rolled out corporate cell phones for the very purpose of being able to communicate while on the road! Problems will arise.

On the Mythbusters point: I missed that one but I don't doubt it too much!

-reply by dB333