New Toronto Police Traffic Services Campaign Aimed at Distracted Drivers

The Toronto Police Traffic Services has launched their “That Text or Call Could End It All” starting today, February 16, 2016, and will conclude on Sunday, February 21, 2016. The goal of the one-week safety campaign will highlight the dangerous activities associated with motorists who, text, dial, use email and talk using hand-held electronics and in car entertainment systems.

During the week-long campaign, Toronto Police will use a variety of vehicles to catch drivers committing distracted driving actions. Fully marked police cars and undercover vehicles will be utilized in the campaign. The police department will focus on drivers who engage in distracted driving behaviour while operating a motor vehicle, inclusive of using their cell phones to text, talk and answer emails.

Toronto Police Service To Use Undercover Vehicles During Campaign

Distracted drivers are a safety risk to themselves and other motorists who share the roads. The Toronto Police Service continues to ensure that the security of all motorists using the city roads focus on the road and avoid driving distracted. Despite increased fines in the province of Ontario, drivers continue to be engaged with the smartphones while driving. These distracted driving actions are not only dangerous to other motorists but pedestrians and cyclists are also at risk. Since 2011, the Toronto Police Service has laid over 95,000 charges for offences related to distracted driving despite driver continued education and campaigns such as the current “That Text or Call Could End It All”. In past campaigns, Toronto Police Services have used a hearse to catch distracted drivers and shock them into looking at their actions yet statistics still show that drivers continue to engage in distracted driving behaviour while behind the wheel.