When it comes to handheld cellphone use and other forms of distracted driving, Toronto police Sgt. Tim Burrows has heard almost every excuse in the book.
From "I thought it was an emergency" to "I didn't know about the law," no lame-duck explanation has slipped past the veteran police officer.
"(We've heard) every silly thing that people could possibly offer," Burrows said Monday. "There's nothing that is more important – no call, no text, no e-mail – that is more important than your life. The message can wait."
Excuses weren't flying then and they're not going to fly now as Toronto Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police and law enforcement agencies across Canada kick off Canada Road Safety Week.
Officers are stepping up enforcement and education efforts to crack down on the so-called "big four" – impaired driving, aggressive driving, seatbelt negligence and distracted driving.
Distracted driving was added to the safety blitz because police are seeing an increase in non-compliance, even though most people are aware of the law, Burrows said.
"It's such a huge issue these days and it's one that really needs to be stopped," he said.
Law targets more than cellphones
Ontario introduced a law in February 2010 that prohibits drivers from using any handheld electronic device while they're behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. A cellphone cannot even sit on a person's lap. Hands-free equipment such as a headset is permitted for cellphone use.
Distracted driving isn't limited to just cellphone use.
Eating, adjusting the radio, searching for something in the car and doing makeup all fall under the police definition of distracted driving.
The prevalence is likely due to bad habits that are ingrained in people and the widespread use of cellphones and devices such as MP3 players, Burrows said.
Burrows said police now have the challenging task of breaking those habits and making distracted driving as socially unacceptable as impaired driving.
Thousands of drivers charged
Still, thousands of people aren't getting the message.
So far in 2011, Toronto police officers have charged 8,412 people for talking on a cellphone (physically holding it in their hands while driving), 64 for texting or using a device such as an MP3 player, and 158 people for being distracted by tablet computers, a television screen or similar technology, Burrows said.
In total, 16,600 tickets have been issued in Toronto since the law took effect, he said.
Police don't keep track of the number of tickets issued to people caught eating while driving because "it isn't a described offence," Burrows said.
OPP officers are marking Canada Road Safety Week by launching the first of four one-week blitzes targeting distracted driving, making it one of the largest enforcement campaigns in recent OPP history.
"We're telling people to stay focused on their driving," said OPP spokesman Sgt. Dave Woodford. "We have some of the busiest roads in North America."
Consequences can be deadly
Distracted drivers are at a greater risk of causing a collision. The consequences can be deadly.
Last year, inattentive or distracted driving was a factor in 7,733 collisions on OPP-patrolled roads, resulting in 35 deaths and 1,040 injuries, police said.
In 2010, the OPP charged 8,522 drivers for using a handheld device while driving, an offence that carries a $155 fine.
Drivers can be fined $110 for watching an entertainment device. Other forms of distracted driving can net a careless driving charge with fines ranging from $400 to $2,000, a possible licence suspension of up to two years and/or a jail term of up to six months.
In addition to enforcement, police will also be taking a message to the media and schools to educate people about the dangers of distracted driving.
The purpose of Canada Road Safety Week, which runs Monday to May 23, is to prevent deaths and injuries on Canada's roads by catching offenders and raising awareness to curb dangerous driving habits.
The annual campaign leads into the Victoria Day weekend, which is one of the busiest weekends of the year for road travel.
