Distracted driving is fast becoming a top reason for motor-vehicle accidents in Ontario. Drivers and pedestrians who take their eyes off the road even for a few seconds to check their phones can cause serious accidents. Distractions also include reading and replying to text and social media messages, checking email or GPS, glancing away from the road when a co-passenger shows you a text message, photo etc on their phones, etc.

According to the Ministry of Transportation, using smartphones, gaming devices, computers, tablets, MPS3 players, etc are the electronic devices that are on the prohibited list while driving. Currently, there is a $1000 fine and up to 3 demerit points for using the phone while driving. Penalties are based on the driver’s previous record.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to deter drivers as the rate of distracted driving incidents appears to be on the increase. Rather than imposing more and harsher penalties, the Ministry proposes to designate areas like parking lots, rest stops and transit areas as Safe Texting Zones and put up signs indicating where the nearest text zone lies along highways and arterial roads. This would hopefully encourage people to defer checking their phones/devices immediately and wait till they reach the safe zone.  New York has tried this experiment with good results. If you or a dear one has been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, contact an experienced car accident lawyer or personal injury lawyer with expertise in handling similar claims. You may be entitled to compensation.