Distracted Driving Law in Effect September 1, 2011 |  |
Highlights:
- Restricts drivers from:
- using hand-held cell phones
- texting or e-mailing
- using electronic devices like laptop computers, video games, cameras, video entertainment displays and programming portable audio players (e.g., MP3 players)
- entering information on GPS units
- reading printed materials in the vehicle
- writing, printing or sketching, and
- personal grooming
- Complements the current driving without due care and attention legislation
- Applies to all vehicles as defined by the Traffic Safety Act, including bicycles
- Applies to all roads in both urban and rural areas of the province
- The fine for this new offence is $172
Attention Albertans: the government is trying to break into your car!
Some questions to the PC government:
1. Are you aware that studies have shown that hands-free technology carries exactly the same risks as hand-held technology? It is the act of focusing on a cell-phone conversation that distracts from driving, not holding the cell phone itself. This legislation disallows hand-held phones (with some exceptions), but gives the rubber-stamp to hands-free technology. What are you trying to accomplish here?
Some questions to the PC government:
1. Are you aware that studies have shown that hands-free technology carries exactly the same risks as hand-held technology? It is the act of focusing on a cell-phone conversation that distracts from driving, not holding the cell phone itself. This legislation disallows hand-held phones (with some exceptions), but gives the rubber-stamp to hands-free technology. What are you trying to accomplish here?
2. Does "printed materials" include maps? Road signs? Billboard ads? Bumper stickers? License plates? Speedometers? Fuel gauges? Is a quick glance at one the same as "reading"? How long do I have to look at something before I'm reading it? Is there a limit on comprehension? If I look at something but the words don't make sense to me, have I truly "read" it?
3. What constitutes "personal grooming"? I sometimes brush the hair away from my eyes while driving - is this allowed? What if I take the further measure of brushing my hair with my fingers to keep it away from my face? How many strokes are allowed? Can I do it with my left hand, but not my right? What if my glasses are askew? Is adjusting them wrong? What level of lost depth perception is great enough to merit the perilous risk of pushing them back into place?
4. How exactly is all of this going to be enforced? If I'm holding a small object which could be interpreted as a cell phone from a distance, am I going to be pulled over? How will police know if I'm reading? Or programming a GPS? Or pressing buttons on my MP3 player? Will I be ticketed for holding a comb?
The nanny-state strikes again...
