Some drivers across the Kootenays are still deciding to use their cell phones and failing to buckle up.
Dozens of drivers in the region were ticketed in September for distracted driving and seatbelt violations, according to figures from B.C. Highway Patrol.
The enforcement was part of Distracted Driving and Occupant Restraint Month, an annual safety campaign that targets unsafe behaviours behind the wheel.
“It’s simple. If we can get fewer people to drive while distracted, and more people to wear their seatbelts, then we will save more lives,” said Supt. Mike Coyle with B.C. Highway Patrol.
“We will keep writing tickets for people who don’t obey the law, but the real goal is public safety.”
In the Kootenay region, which includes Revelstoke, Nelson, Cranbrook and Golden, officers issued:
116 tickets for using an electronic device while driving (a $368 fine)
58 tickets for failing to wear a seatbelt or other occupant restraint offences (a $167 fine)
“As we move into the Halloween season and the days get shorter, it’s even more important that you eliminate distractions behind the wheel,” said Coyle.
“Pedestrians are hard to see in the darkness and rain of fall. You need all of your attention to keep yourself, your loved ones and the people in your neighbourhood safe on the roads.”
