The new alberta distracted driving law went into effect next thursday, sept. Distracted driving convictions by offence date as of march 31 2014 2018 more information download. Distracted driving convictions by offence date includes out of province as of march 31. Not cheap, but im certain that there are other brands and sites that sell for less. Theres no denying it the laws governing distracted driving in alberta are here to stay and for good reason.
Is distracted driving that much of an issue on albertas roads. Ama survey puts a finger on albertans texting and driving habits. As a result, too many drivers focus on secondary tasks while driving. Every ticket for distracted driving also adds four driver penalty points to your driving.
There has been lots written on the new handsfree driving laws soon to be enforced in alberta, so this article will just touch on the highlights and present a couple of solutions. Understanding the distracted driving laws in alberta. In this article well cover alberta specific laws pertaining to distracted driving. Distracted driving convictions by offence date as of march 31 2011 2016 more information download. Distracted driving policy free download handsfree the next street. Alberta is the last province to enforce a ban on using handheld cellphones while driving but the new law is being hailed as one of the toughest because it bans things like grooming and. Distracted driver law in alberta is there a solution. Many of those deaths could have been prevented had people abstained from using their cellphones while driving. Hands free systems must be fully functioning bluetooth or equivalent technology. These resources will help ensure that your family is armed with the right smarts about what the distracted driving law means, and the best ways to make sure everyone stays focused on the road.
An experienced auto insurance broker in alberta at mbs insurance brokers ltd. In canada, cell phones are for all intents and purposes banned while driving. Transportation minister brian mason called the alberta governments crackdown on distracted drivers a top priority, as a. Our twopart online distracted driver course will help you better understand how attention capacity can affect drivers. Learn more about how distraction affects your drive. Pleas from the public have urged alberta transportation to change the current distracted driving law. Distracted driving legislation is changing how commercial vehicle drivers stay connected. Information about impaired driving laws, sanctions and programs in alberta. Alberta has also introduced stiffer penalties for distracted driving. Albertas distracted driving law applies to all vehicles as defined by the traffic safety act and all roads in alberta.
In alberta, individuals charged with distracted driving will be handed a pricy penalty. Albertas distracted driving demerits praised as a start. Seems some albertans would like to go the same route as ontario when it comes to distracted driving. Distracted driving occurs when a driver diverts their attention from driving and focuses on an object, activity, event or person unrelated to driving. If the audio player is connected to the vehicle sound system, drivers may use the vehicle controls to operate the mp3 audio player. Many vehicles now come equipped with bluetooth car kits which allow. Distracted driving can be just as hazardous as driving under the influence. Ontarios distracted driving law deals specifically with handheld devices, but. The reason for the latest increase, the province declared, was that the problem continues to worsen. Albertas distracted driving demerits praised as a start by victim.
As a result, all 10 canadian provinces now have some form of distracted driving legislation. Distracted driving law hits alberta drivers ctv news. The law applies whenever youre in control of the vehicle, whether stopped at a. It certainly appears to prohibit hams from operating while driving. The survey, conducted by trend research, used a random sample of 900 albertans to probe into behaviours like text messaging while driving. My girlfriend had accidentally knocked it out of place and i had to reach down to get it. For that reason and believing its an important subject i started this thread. Distracted driving in alberta traffic ticket agent. This program applies to drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0. Right now, alberta is the only province that bans drivers from several.
This publication is a summary of the research findings. Alberta premier ed stelmach cited a busy agenda as the reason no distracted driving legislation was proposed for 2009. Distracted driving stats reveal troubling double standards. Some alberta drivers want stricter legislation in their province. How distracted driving can affect your insurance rate in. Alberta drivers banned from texting, cellphone calls cbc. A perception that driving is an unproductive, second nature task, and people trying to accomplish more in less time. Alberta took its time installing a distracted driving law its the eighth canadian province to do so but the new rules clearly are among the most comprehensive in north america. It restricts drivers from doing any of the following, even while stopped at red lights. This bad habit causes millions of collisions every year in north america, and many of those are unfortunately fatal. Alberta regulation 12011 traffic safety act distracted driving regulation table of contents 1 handsfree mode 2 one touch 3 exempt classes of individuals 4 exempt devices 6 coming into force handsfree mode 1 for the purposes of the act and this regulation, handsfree mode means a function on a cellular telephone or a radio.
Restricted activities include, but are not limited to. Distracted driving bylaw html here is something we can all easily do. Going to court for distracted driving dispute beyond. Albertas laws cover all public roads in the province, and apply even if you are driving in a remote area where there are no other drivers on the road. Albertas distracted driving laws changing in 2016 bow. Distracted driving is also considered one of the highrisk driving infractions that lead to early intervention and driving prohibitions as part of b. How distracted driving penalties in alberta can affect you. Edmonton albertans thumbs are getting plenty of exercise these days, according to a june survey commissioned by the alberta motor association ama. Drivers are not allowed to engage in any activity that distracts them from the operation of the vehicle, even while stopped at a red light. Consolidated up to 652016 alberta regulation 12011. Strathcona county east of capital edmonton has the provinces only law against driving while cell phoning and text messaging. A driver may use a gps system but it must be programmed or set up in advance of driving so that drivers are not manually typing or inputting information while driving.
Once the apps are installed on my phone and the phone connects via bluetooth or with a cord, the phone screen wont work when the truck is in motion. Handsfree bluetooth devices could be just as bad as talking on your cell phone jun 8, 2016 09. Alberta distracted driving legislation is outlined in the traffic safety act. Alberta is the latest province to take a more aggressive stance against distracted driving. Distracted driving laws in alberta are outlined under section 115. Alberta drivers want distracted driving changes ontario has made changes to penalties for distracted driving.
Alberta s distracted driving law applies to all vehicles as defined by the traffic safety act and all roads in alberta. Distracted driving alberta and other jurisdictions have put distracted driving laws in effect that cover not only the most common occurrences of distracted driving e. Im give alberta credit for doing what too many states in the us dont have the guts to do but should have a long time ago. You may be surprised distracted driving laws in alberta have been a hotbutton topic since the most recent update in january 2015. Drivers licence suspensions for drivers suspected of being criminally impaired. How distracted driving penalties in alberta can affect you march, 2019 distracted driving can mean whatever takes your eyes off the road, like eating, applying makeup, reading printed materials or if youre mr.
Distracted driving now the leading cause of car accidents. In some provinces you also receive demerits for a distracted driving offence. Most states have put hands free phone laws in place to. Handsfree means a bluetooth, wired headset or speakerphone that can be. Well, the distracted driving law in ontario has banned the use of handheld devices since october 2009. Even if federal, state or local laws do not ban texting and driving, employees are expected to adhere to this policy. Go to the link below for comments and questions, and fill in the form under the heading. Examples of prohibited distracting activities on all publicly accessible roads in alberta include, but are not limited to. Distracted driving laws have come into effect in recent years across the country in response to the growing use of. Albertas distracted driving law restricts drivers from using handheld. The dangers posed by distracted driving have gained a lot of attention in recent years. However, bob nichols, spokesperson for ontario ministry of transportation has mentioned that a driver who eats while driving may get a ticket. I do believe cell phones of the smart variety are not going away anytime soon.
Bluetooth, mp3, audio entertainment device, earbud, handsfree, mounted andor behaviours using. As distracted driving continues to be a top cause of accidents in alberta, it is important to drive carefully and obtain comprehensive insurance coverage to protect you and your vehicle. A firsttime offensecould land you a 1thousand dollar fine, three demerit points and your license could be yanked for 3days. If youre often on the road for long periods of time, downloading an app on. As of september 1, 2011, distracted driving became a ticketable offence.
Here is a bluetooth adapter setup designed for use with 2way radios. If a driver is exhibiting more risky behaviour, they can. Graduated licence drivers must have a zero blood alcoholdrug level when driving. Distracted driving is extremely dangerous, taking the lives of more than 3,000 americans each year, according to the national highway traffic safety administration nhtsa. Although distracted driving laws may differ between. The canadian automobile association provides a breakdown of fines and demerits for various provinces here. Is distracted driving that much of an issue on alberta s roads. A recent thread was interrupted by trying to address the problems of distracted driving caused by cell phone usage rather than stay on the original subject. Whether or not you support the distracted driving laws in alberta as they currently stand, there is a very good reason they exist drivers are proven to be 23 times more likely to be in a car crash or near crash when texting, and 45 times more likely when talking on the phone.
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