Grande Prairie RCMP and Enforcement Services managed to catch a host of distracted drivers during a blitz last week. In less than six hours, 32 tickets tickets were handed out for distracted driving charges on August 24th. Another 14 were given to drivers for seat belt violations and five for intersection-related offences.
The penalty for distracted driving in Alberta was increased on January 1, 2016. It now comes with a $287 fine and three demerit points.
Under the Traffic Safety Act, drivers aren’t allowed to use handheld cell phones or other electronic devices, including entering info on a GPS unit. Distracted driving also applies to reading printed materials, writing something down, and personal grooming like putting on makeup. All roads in Alberta are covered.