Distracting driving campaign a disappointing success

West Shore, BC Highway Patrol

2024-07-30 09:32 PDT

On the afternoon of July 25, West Shore RCMP partnered with ICBC and BC Highway Patrol to remind drivers to stay focused on the road and avoid distractions.

The distracted driving campaign was widely advertised with RCMP warning motorists in advance of where officers were going to be posted. Yes, that’s correct, drivers were warned in advance of the upcoming campaign via announcements on the local radio, news and the placement of no distracted driving signs up and down Veterans Memorial Parkway. The distracted driving messaging was even posted on Highway digital billboards in the area.

The distracted driving campaign had officers and volunteers stationed at three locations along Veterans Memorial Parkway. This area was chosen due to the high volume of traffic during the afternoon hours.

Transcription

Video description

West Shore RCMP partnered with ICBC and BC Highway Patrol to remind drivers to stay focused on the road and avoid distractions. The distracted driving campaign was widely advertised with RCMP warning motorists in advance of where officers were going to be posted 

Video transcription

[ Video starts with a text that reads: "On July 25 West Shore RCMP partnered with ICBC and BC Highway Patrol to remind drivers to stay focused on the road and avoid distractions. The distracted driving campaign was widely advertised with RCMP warning motorists in advance of where officers were going to be posted."]

Colleen Woodger, ICBC Regional Road Safety Cordinator: We’ve been invited here out in the West Shore by their local RCMP to really raise awareness and educate drivers of risks associated to texting, talking on your phone, any form of distracted driving.

[ A police officer and two civilian volunteers outside watching for drivers who are distracted while driving. ]

[ An officer talks to the driver of a red car. ]

[ An officer writing a speeding ticket. ]

Sgt. Jereme Leslie, BC Highway Patrol Unit Commander: We’re trying to bring education to the public. They should know about this particular law, it’s been around for a number of years now.

[ An officer taking notes. ]

Cst. Sean Van Londersele, West Shore TCMP Traffic Unit: I think it’s still quite big. We still do get a lot of public complaints about it. So this is an opportunity for us to try and bring the point home again.

[ A red car pulls out of a parking stall. ]

[ An officer talks to the driver of a grey truck. ]

Jereme: As you can see a lot of signage up all along the way from the highway all the way onto Goldstream, unfortunately, with volunteers, and the signage, and a lot of police officers around, unfortunately we’re still quite busy today. And we’ve issued a number of tickets for using the electronic device while driving. Even with all those warnings up.

[ An officer walking back to the sidewalk ]

[ Cars drive down the road. ]

[ Signs with a phone crossed out and the text "while driving" are displayed on the sidewalk as cars drive by. ]

[ An officer and two volunteers watch a truck passed by ]

[ Two officers wearing yellow vests stand on the side of a road. ]

[ An officer holds a clipboard with a checklist. ]

[ An officer talks to the driver of a black car. ]

[ Another officer walks past multiple cars on the road. ]

Sean: Today is going atrociously well. I hate to say it, unfortunately, very productive.

[ An officer talks to the driver of a white car. ]

[ Another officer pulls over a black car. ]

Colleen: More people are actually dying from distracted driving then impaired driving now. So it’s a huge issue. It’s also the number one reason why any pedestrian, cyclist, or motorcyclist is injured or killed on the road.

[ A close up of a car steering wheel with the driver texting on a cellphone is shown. ]

[ An officer talks to the driver of a white truck. ]

[ An officer wearing a "RCMP GRC Police" vest observes cars driving on the road. ]

Jereme: These particular issues aren’t just simply geographical to one particular area such as like the West Shore or Saanich or Victoria. They cross all boundaries. So it’s really important that the messaging is clear to the public and to all the road users because we share the roads with a number of other vulnerable road users.

[ A close up of an officer talking to a driver. ]

[ Another officer walks past multiple cars on the road. ]

[ Two officers observe cars driving on the road. ]

[ An officer talks to the driver of a white car. ]

[ An officer walks on the sidewalk while multiple cars drive by.

[ A police officer and two civilian volunteers outside watching the cars. ]

[ A closeup of a black vest with "Police" text on the center. ]

[ Video ends with a text page that reads: "Despite the Signage, Police Presence, and All of the Warnings, in 3.5 Hours Officers Issued:

  • 30 Violation Tickets for Distracted Driving
  • 18 Written Warnings for Distracted Driving
  • 6 Other Violation Tickets" ]

West Shore RCMP

Distracted driving is one of the leading contributing factors to fatal collisions in B.C. West Shore RCMP reached out to us to help them educate the public in this campaign. We posted the signage and had volunteers keep track of vehicles driving by where the driver was distracted and using a cell phone, said Colleen Woodger, ICBC Road Safety Coordinator.

Despite the signage, police presence, and all of the advanced warnings, in 3.5 hours officers issued:

Drivers would have passed by numerous signs warning them against distracted driving before being pulled over by police. We were disappointed in the high number of tickets we issued for distracted driving. We had hoped the number would have been much less, said Cst. Sean Van Londersele, West Shore RCMP Traffic Unit.

We have always taken a zero-tolerance approach to distracted driving, and it needs to stop, said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. When, not if, you are caught using your cellphone while you drive, the consequences are steep. Don’t put yourself or others at risk—follow the rules of the road.

In B.C., use of an electronic device while driving can result in a $368 ticket and four penalty points against the driver’s licence under the Motor Vehicle Act.

For new drivers with their L or N, there could be even stricter penalties for distracted driving which include driving prohibitions. Learn more about graduated licensing.

Road safety is a top priority for us. West Shore RCMP will continue to conduct road safety campaigns like this in the future.

Released by:

Cpl. Nancy Saggar
Media Relations Officer
West Shore RCMP
698 Atkins Avenue, Victoria, BC V9B 3A4
Office: 250-474-2264
Fax: 250-474-8790

Email: westshore_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: westshore.rcmp-grc.gc.ca (English only)

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