Last updated April 12, 2019
Drivers in British Columbia who were caught using their new and old cell phones while operating a motor vehicle had no shortage of excuses as to why they were doing so, according to police. September saw a month-long crackdown on distracted driving in the province, with police saying they issued a total of around 3500 tickets to drivers caught using electronic devices while driving.
“It’s evident that there are still a lot of drivers who don’t realize that distracted driving can have tragic consequences,” says the Minister of Public Safety, Shirley Bond, who is also the Solicitor General. “We need to stop making excuses and adopt new driving habits.”
“The excuses I’ve heard are incredible,” notes Chief Jamie Graham from Victoria Police. “One distracted driver even tried to tell me he wasn’t on the phone – he was just listening. The reality is that there is no valid excuse because distracted driving is entirely preventable.”
Some of the ‘best’ excuses police have heard from drivers caught using cell phones include having to answer because it was the boss calling, that they were not actually using the phone but just like to hold it, that it was an emergency call to a wedding planner, or that they were not talking but just checking their messages. Perhaps the best one of all, some drivers apologize for not pulling over sooner but indicate that they did not notice the police signaling them because they were on their cell phone.