The Grande Prairie RCMP has continued to observe distracted driving as a significant issue in GP and is reminding residents about the importance of driving safety.
RCMP Corporal Patrick McPhee has lived in Grande Prairie for around a decade now and says his perspective on the issue comes from his two lives- first as a police officer, but also as a longtime resident of the swan city.
“For me, this kind of comes from two perspectives boiling into one, one is I’m someone who has lived in GP for 10 years now and driving around town, being diligent as someone on the road who’s lived in this community and seen things going on, but also as a police officer, this isn’t something new,” he says.
According to McPhee, exercising proper safety techniques while on the road not only ensures you get to your destination safely but also extends the same courtesy to those sharing the road with you.
“Any time you get on the road it’s not just your responsibility to get where you’re going safely, but it’s also about respecting others to do your due diligence as a driver and respect other people on the road by paying attention, and avoiding distractions.”
Often, residents tend to think of distracted driving as strictly applying to items like cell phones; however, the RCMP says the laws are a bit different than people might traditionally think. According to police, manipulating cellphones, laptops, cameras, GPS units, and reading books or newspapers are all classified as distracted driving behaviour, even while stopped at a red light.
Additionally, personal grooming, such as brushing or flossing your teeth, putting on makeup, curling your hair, or shaving are also included as they can take your eyes off the road.
“Very specifically, it is texting, having your cellphone, that would be in the realm of distracted driving for sure, but I think broadly sometimes we might miss the point a little bit, I think if you look at it like any kind of activity that is going to take your hands and eyes off the road could result in either being pulled over or even a distracted driving-related offence,” McPhee says.
The RCMP says taking simple steps like putting your phone away while driving, safely pulling over to check your route as needed, and planning ahead by making sure electronics are programmed and ready to go before your trip are all great ways to ensure you arrive at your destination safely.
