Starting January first, not only will a distracted driving ticket set you back $287 in Alberta, it will also cost you three demerit points. The province has tightened its rules, as there were more than 87,000 convictions for distracted driving from when the legislation was introduced in September 2011 to March of this year.
It’s believed the demerits will discourage more people from using their phones, and other distracting habits than just a fine as repeat offenders could lose their licence. According to research, driver distractions contribute to 20 to 30 per cent of collisions.
Distracted drivers are also three times more likely to be involved in a collision. Distracted driving includes GPS or cell phone use, reading, writing, personal grooming and eating.