During the three-month public
education period which began on October 26, the new law was supported by a
comprehensive public education and awareness campaign which informed the public
about the new rules. As of February 1, 2010, police started issuing tickets.
As of February 1, 2010, police may
issue tickets and drivers can settle out of court by paying a fine of $125,
plus $25 victim fine surcharge and $5 court costs, for a total of $155. Drivers
who receive a summons or who contest their ticket by going to court may face a
fine of up to $500.
There are no demerit points
associated with an offence, and police will not be confiscating any hand-held
devices used by a driver caught breaking the law.
Drivers who endanger others
because of any distraction, including hand-held and hands-free devices, may
also still be charged with careless driving and will automatically receive six
demerit points, fines up to $2,000 and/or a jail term of six months. In some
cases, your licence may be suspended for up to two years. You may even be
charged with dangerous driving (a criminal offence).
In addition to legislation and
enforcement, the key to success in combating all forms of driving distraction
is education and awareness. For this reason, the ministry is using a variety of
media and public education approaches to raise awareness about the new distracted
driving law. For example, MTO is working to discourage young drivers from using
cell phones and other wireless devices while driving by promoting initiatives
such as the iDrive program. This program raises awareness among youth about the
risks of unsafe driving behaviour.
A number of safety messages on the
ministry’s COMPASS signs are on a rotation, and are displayed during ‘non peak’
times on roads across Ontario: Cell Phone Users/Drive Now – Talk Later; Safety
Comes First/Drive Now – Talk Later; Please Focus On Driving/Avoid Using A Cell
Phone.
The ministry has also distributed
10,000 posters and 100,000 brochures in communities, including schools, across
the province to remind drivers of all ages to keep their hands on the wheel and
their eyes on the road while driving.
Through local initiatives and
community-based programs, the ministry’s Regional Planners are working across
the province with over 150 community groups, stakeholders in road safety,
public health officials and enforcement agencies, to raise awareness about
distracted driving. New signs on the highway at border crossings inform drivers
from other provinces and the US that hand-held devices are prohibited while
driving.