Distracted Driver Accidents

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Everything You Need to Know About Distracted Driving in Canada

SharonSharon

Sending or reading a text message takes approximately five seconds. That may not sound like a lot of time, but imagine someone driving for five seconds. It’s definitely a long time to be distracted while behind the wheel.

Just like America, Canada has their own set of laws and penalties for distracted driving. Keep reading to learn more.

What Counts as Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving may sound a little vague and difficult to prove. Distracted driving in Ontario is defined as:

One thing that is permitted is using a hands-free communication device, such as a bluetooth earpiece or speaker. While Ontario does not include eating, drinking, or smoking in their definition, those actions and others can still cause accidents and lead to a careless or dangerous driving charge.

Statistics

Below are some interesting distracted driving statistics, according to the Canadian Automobile Association.

Laws

There are actually three laws that relate to distracted driving: Distracted, Careless, and Dangerous driving.

Ontario’s distracted driving law makes it illegal to use any handheld device while driving or even when stopped at a red light

Ontario’s careless driving law applies if the distracted driving endangers others with their driving.

The most serious offense would be dangerous driving, a criminal offense that carries penalties including jail time. It is defined as driving in a way that endangers others, which sounds very similar to careless driving. Each unique situation will determine whether a careless or dangerous (criminal) driving charge is filed.

Penalties

Below are Ontario’s penalties for a distracted driving charge.

Other Consequences

Distracted driving leads to accidents, which can lead to injury or death. Below are some final statistics to highlight the dangers of driving distracted:

If you are injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, contact an accident attorney in Ontario like those at SG Injury Law.

Sharon
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