This message appeared today on the Toronto Police Services Facebook page publicly imploring the Mayor to stop reading behind the wheel.
It also points to the obsurdity of Ontario's distracted driver legislation which prohibits holding a cell phone or iPod while driving but does not cover applying make-up, reading a map, eating breakfast, or shaving. You can't legislate against stupidity.
Just to clarify the situation with the Mayor "allegedly" reading while driving on the Gardiner Expressway...under the same circumstances, we would not be in position to lay a charge for anyone. The distracted driving legislation does not cover reading paper documents and applies only to electronic devices.
Having said that, if there is evidence that the driving behaviour constituted a specific offence, the driver could be charged. A police officer would have to witness the offence or the person who witnessed the offence could initiate a charge, but only if there was evidence to support a charge.
Some would argue that drinking a coffee, changing the radio station or glancing at a child in the car would be just as distracting, but who amoung us can't be accused of doing that.
Finally, on behalf of all the citizens of Toronto that value road safety, Mr Mayor... please get a driver.
~TB
It also points to the obsurdity of Ontario's distracted driver legislation which prohibits holding a cell phone or iPod while driving but does not cover applying make-up, reading a map, eating breakfast, or shaving. You can't legislate against stupidity.
Just to clarify the situation with the Mayor "allegedly" reading while driving on the Gardiner Expressway...under the same circumstances, we would not be in position to lay a charge for anyone. The distracted driving legislation does not cover reading paper documents and applies only to electronic devices.
Having said that, if there is evidence that the driving behaviour constituted a specific offence, the driver could be charged. A police officer would have to witness the offence or the person who witnessed the offence could initiate a charge, but only if there was evidence to support a charge.
Some would argue that drinking a coffee, changing the radio station or glancing at a child in the car would be just as distracting, but who amoung us can't be accused of doing that.
Finally, on behalf of all the citizens of Toronto that value road safety, Mr Mayor... please get a driver.
~TB
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