Saskatchewan plans to ban texting, talking while driving: Premier Brad Wall

From The Star Phoenix:

Regina driving instructor Debbie Wollbaum applauds the Saskatchewan Party government’s plans to introduce legislation banning the use of handheld electronic devices to text or talk while driving.

“No matter how efficient you are with texting or dialing the number, you still have to take your eyes off the road and one second can make the difference between avoiding a serious collision or not,’’ Wollbaum said.

“So I think it is a very good idea. There are a lot of distractions in our cars these days.’’

Premier Brad Wall said Tuesday that he has directed Justice Minister Don Morgan to bring back options to curtail the growing problem of distracted driving so the government can move the legislation through in the fall session.

“There are compelling, true-life tragedies of, especially, young people, who weren’t drinking and driving, but whose lives were lost because of texting and driving,’’ Wall told The StarPhoenix on Tuesday. “It’s serious and more and more people seem to be doing it.

“We would be looking at a ban on texting and cell use, but not on hands-free (phones). We’re not going to ban cell use completely but, certainly, we want to encourage hands-free, which most people do now, I think, as a matter of course when they’re driving.’’

Wall was responding to Saskatoon Police Chief Clive Weighill’s call for a ban. Weighill cited the growing number of collisions in Saskatoon in the past six months linked to bad driving habits to support a ban on texting while driving.

Regina Police Chief Troy Hagen, who supports the idea in principle, said the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police would be very interested in working with the government to explore possible legislative solutions in terms of some new legislation to address this issue.

The Saskatchewan Safety Council and the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association also endorsed plans to introduce a ban on the use of handheld electronic devices to text or talk while driving.

“We support anything that will reduce distractions while driving, and obviously (handheld) cellphone use and texting while you are driving falls into that category,’’ said Harley Toupin with the Safety Council.

Association spokesman Marc Choma said the industry believes a driver’s job is to focus on driving and has a dedicated website (www.focusondriving.ca) aimed at promoting the safe use of hands-free cellphones.

“If a driver does have to make a call or answer a call, certainly hands-free devices are a very good tool to manage that because it allows you to keep both eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel. It is pretty good safety advice whether you are using a cellphone or not,’’ Choma said.

British Columbia announced last week that it plans to ban texting while driving. The legislation would also prohibit probationary drivers from talking on their cellphones, while experienced drivers would be limited to the use of hands-free telephones.

Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador have passed laws prohibiting the use of hand-held cellphones while driving. Ontario’s legislation takes effect in October and carries penalties of fines up to $500. Alberta, Manitoba and Prince Edwards Island are considering similar bans.

While the province is looking at enforcement as a deterrent, Wall said the province must continue to tackle the problem through advertising campaigns and public education, particularly in high schools.

“I don’t think we should stop at public service announcements or advertisements. I think we need to be in high schools with the message, especially with texting,’’ Wall said.

“Increasingly ... there is a greater propensity to text than there is to call.’’

But Choma noted it isn’t only cellphones that are distracting drivers. Drivers need to be educated about curbing those bad driving habits, “those commonsense things you can’t legislate,’’ he said.