Unless you have a hands-free device, let that phone ring away while you’re driving.
It’s now illegal to use a mobile device -- such as a BlackBerry or cell phone -- while driving in Ontario.
The new legislation came into effect today and prohibits the use of handheld devices behind the wheel, whether for talking or texting.
Ontario joins three other provinces to ban gadgets behind the wheel.If a driver is caught using a banned device, they can be charged under careless driving laws and be slapped with fines, demerit points, a licence suspension and even jail time.
While enforcement won’t start right away, drivers will be slapped with a $500 fine if they’re caught after an initial three-month grace period.
The three month “education” period will be a time where police will show some leniency, but drivers can still face charges by way of summons under the new law. In that case, a driver would be ordered to go to court to find out how big the fine will be.
Unlike other provinces, however, convicted drivers will not have to deal with demerit points.
With files from The Canadian Press
