Distracted driving ticket ignites conversation about what drivers can and can't do behind the wheel

A distracted driving ticket issued by the Regina Police Service (RPS) over the weekend created quite the buzz about what motorists are allowed to do while driving.

Police say a driver on Ring Road was slapped with a $580 ticket for distracted driving after he was caught watching YouTube while behind the wheel.

RPS Traffic Unit officer Cst. Mike Seel issued the ticket Saturday after he found a driver travelling 30km/h below the posted speed limit.

“When I pulled beside him and saw him on YouTube, I slowed down to pull behind him to get my lights and siren on,” he said.

“The car behind me nearly rear ended me because we were going so slow.”

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Despite being law since 2014, distracted driving is one of the leading causes of collisions in Saskatchewan.

“Driving requires your full attention,” said SGI media relations consultant Michaela Solomon.

(Source: SGI)

SGI has dealt with nearly 26,000 collisions since 2017.

Of the nearly 26,000, 102 of them resulted in fatalities.

“Your reaction time is impacted when you’re not giving your full attention,” Soloman said. “All collisions where the cause is distraction are absolutely preventable.”

(Source: SGI)

Saskatchewan police officers issue an average of 6,600 distracted driving tickets for being on a cellphone per year.

So far in 2023, more than 3,700 infractions have been reported.

Cst. Seel said he posts some of his incidents on social media as an educational tool.

“It is fun,” he said. “People like seeing the [posts].”

“A lot of people think traffic cops are just about getting their numbers or hitting a quota,” Seel added.

“But for me, it’s about road safety and educating people.”