Saskatchewan spotlights steep distracted-driving fines

Five hundred and eighty dollars. And … four demerit points.

That’s how much a first offence for using a cell phone while behind the wheel will cost a Saskatchewan driver, Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) said as part of an October campaign to curb distracted driving across the province.

The same fine is issued to first offenders caught “driving without due care and attention.”

“Repeat offences get even more expensive ($1,400 for the second offence and $2,100 for the third and each subsequent ticket) and include seven-day vehicle impoundments,” SGI noted in a press release.

In October alone, the insurer said 896 distracted drivers – including 756 people on cell phones – were ticketed by police in the province.

“Driver distraction and inattention is responsible for one out of every five collision-related injuries, and more than one out of every four deaths on Saskatchewan roads,” said SGI.

SGI also reported totals from police in the province for other driving offences during October:

• 400 impaired-driving offences, including 299 criminal-code charges;
• 5,721 speeding and aggressive driving tickets; and
• 311 tickets for seatbelt and car seat offences.

Feature image by iStock.com/AndreyPopov