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Driver gets two distracted driving tickets within six blocks and eight minutes

One ticket was not enough to deter one driver from using his cellphone while behind the wheel. At around 2:20 p.m.
Jessica Kerr
distracted driver
A driver visiting Vancouver from the U.S. was pulled over twice in six blocks for distracted driving.

One ticket was not enough to deter one driver from using his cellphone while behind the wheel.

At around 2:20 p.m. Wednesday, a Vancouver police traffic enforcement officer was riding his motorcycle in the area of Granville Street and West Broadway when he spotted a driver allegedly using an electronic device while driving.

The driver was pulled over, issued a ticket and “provided with education on the dangers of being distracted behind the wheel,” said department spokesman Const. Jason Doucette.

Doucette added that the man, who was visiting Canada from the U.S., was driving a rental car and was on his way to the airport.

“Our officer provided clear directions to YVR before the driver went on his way,” he said.

The driver continued on his way and eight minutes later was spotted using his cellphone while driving through a distracted driving checkpoint set up on Granville near West 16th Avenue  — just six blocks from where he was previously pulled over.

“The officers at West 16th were not aware of the driver’s previous violation ticket when they pulled him over,” Doucette said. “The driver was issued a second ticket for the same offence and he went on his way.”

The total cost of the two tickets is $736 and eight ICBC points, which would cost an additional $520.

The event was highlighted on social media with a tweet from the VPD’s traffic unit’s official Twitter account.

As of Friday morning, it had been retweeted 80 times.

 

Vancouver police, along with departments across the province, have stepped up distracted driving enforcement this month. In Vancouver, officers have issued around 1,500 distracted driving tickets since Sept. 1.

“The VPD is committed to improving road safety for everyone,” Doucette said. “So far during this distracted driving campaign, we have not had an issue spotting drivers using their cellphones. If a call or text message isn’t important enough to safely pull over and check, it can wait. It’s in everyone’s best interest when you leave your phone alone while behind the wheel.”

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@JessicaEKerr