During a three day observation period, Airdrie RCMP saw a large number of distracted driving situations and handed out tickets accordingly.

Sgt. Darrin Turnbull with RCMP Traffic Services describes what exactly was involved in the observation.

"The program ran for three days in and around Airdrie. Some of it was on the highway and some of it was in town. (It was) the first time we've done it with this particular van. The (van came from) Woodridge Ford out of Calgary. They gave it to us to use and try to use for distracted driving enforcement."

Turnbull says RCMP handed out a large number of traffic violations, of which almost half were distracted driving situations. 

"Over the three days of the program, RCMP officers and Alberta sheriffs were able to issue a total of 71 violation tickets over those three days. Of those, 42 were for distracted driving type offences, be it cellphones or something else. 19 of them were for seatbelts and then there were ten other charges."

Distracted driving is not just a driver looking down at their lap at a cellphone, says Turnbull.

"There are several things that fall under the definition of the Alberta legislation of distracted driving. We all know about the cellphones and any handheld electronic devices, but it can also be computer screens that are visible, it can be (putting coordinates) into a GPS while you're driving, (and) it can be eating while you're driving if it's distracting."

"We had one person who had two hands on a hamburger while driving and in motion with nothing on the steering wheel, no hands."

Turnbull describes the tickets of distracted driving minor when compared to what could happen if a driver isn't paying attention to the road.

"The legal consequences of distracted driving, if you get caught and given a violation ticket, really is only $287 and three demerit points. That's minor in comparison to what could happen if you are driving distracted and (are) involved in a motor vehicle collision. You could hurt yourself, you could seriously injure yourself. You could be involved in a crash where you are killed or kill someone else or seriously injure them."

Turnbull says he is disappointed with so many distracted driving violations.

"It's disheartening to see that kind of a number. We would have loved to have done a program like this in any community and been out there for three days and then report to the media that after three days we caught nobody. There was nobody driving distracted. That would be awesome. Unfortunately, yes, 42 drivers over the three days, in and around the city of Airdrie, some inside the (city) some outside, is way too many."\

"It really does come down to that situation where you have to make that conscious decision prior to driving. Turn off your phone, put it on silent, put it in the back seat, make sure your Bluetooth is hooked up before driving, things like that. If, while you're driving, you hear the text message come in and you are possibly expecting something, or you weren't, that temptation is there. You've got to be looking after yourself."

 

Comments? Questions? Story ideas? Email us at news@discoverairdrie.com