 (Jack Boland/SunMedia)
|
Motorists who fail to dial into Ontario's new cellphone ban will be spared fines of up to $500 -- for three months, at least.
Starting today, it's against the law for Ontario's more than 8 million drivers to talk, text, type, dial or e-mail using hand-held cellphones and other hand-held devices while behind the wheel.
Wired and wireless earpieces, headsets and speakerphones are allowed under the provincial law.
You can still have a GPS unit or an MP3 player if it's plugged into the car's sound system, or firmly attached to the dashboard.
Toronto Police Const. Hugh Smith says that for a little more than three months -- until Feb. 1 -- police officers will issue warnings, not fines, to errant motorists who refuse to put down their hand-held gadgets.
But Smith, of the force's traffic services unit, cautions that officers have the option of laying charges of careless driving or other driving offences under the Highway Traffic Act or Criminal Code for situations where drivers are using electronic devices.
"If we see dangerous driving activities, such as an accident or drivers weaving in and out of lanes while using electronic devices, we can charge them under careless driving and use that as evidence against them," Smith explains.
He says the new legislation will improve traffic safety by creating a specific offence for driving behaviour that's known to distract motorists from driving safely.
"It's not going to solve it, but it's a good first step to remind drivers to keep your eyes on the road, hands on the steering wheel, so they can manoeuvre, identify things earlier and have less chances of being in an accident," Smith says.
Police, paramedics and firefighters are exempt from the law. Motorists are permitted to use hand-held devices to call 911 in case of an emergency.
Ontario follows the examples set in 50 countries that already have regulations against using hand-held devices. We are is the fourth province to enact legislation, following Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Quebec. However, Ontario is the first province to have the law apply to all hand-held electronic devices.
In the three years after Newfoundland enacted its ban in 2003, the number of injuries caused by distracted drivers fell by 23%.
Dr. Donald Redelmeier, a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, says the legislation is long overdue.
"I see far too many people whose lives have changed forever due to motor vehicle crashes. One moment of folly can ruin their lives irreparably," says Redelmeier, who has published research examining the records of 25,000 cellphone calls by 699 Toronto drivers who had been in accidents.
He says cellphones are so inexpensive and widespread that the problem is escalating.
"Our main finding was that drivers were four times more likely to get involved in a crash whether they were using a hands-free or hand-held cellphone while driving, than compared to not using a cellphone. It was similar for men and women," Redelmeier says.
Robert Tremblay, director of research for the Insurance Bureau of Canada, lauds the legislation for addressing a range of electronic devices -- not just cellphones.
Tremblay says a Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study shows drivers are 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident if they're texting on a cellphone, almost nine times more likely to be involved in a collision if they're reaching for a moving object in the car, seven times more likely if they're looking at a map and 4.5 times more likely if they're involved in personal grooming.
"A lot of these things involve using common sense. This legislation is a good way to raise awareness and start enforcing behaviour which does not mix with driving," he says.
Retailers report brisk sales of hands-free sets.
Ed Cheung, who works in corporate sales for Rogers, says he recommends buying a wired head-set over Blue-tooth technology.
WIRES BEST
"The best hands-free are the wired ones, if you don't mind the wire. I find them better than Bluetooth technology because they're plugged in, more secure, you don't get background noise, you don't have to worry about paring and matching the unit to the Bluetooth or battery charging," Cheung says.
He suggests that if you don't want a wired headset, the best Bluetooth he has experienced is the Jawbone because it gives less feedback and seems more secure.
The cost of a wired headset typically ranges from $20 to $50, while Bluetooth technology will average $125 to $150.
Speakerphones typically sell for about $150.
Also available is a smartphone device that provides voice-activated controls for dealing with e-mail. The device is called the iLane and sells for $400.
