New distracted driving laws in Manitoba mean anyone caught using a cell phone will have to surrender their driver’s licence immediately.
The Government of Manitoba announced changes to the Highway Traffic Act and Vehicles Act will come into effect on Nov. 1. The changes will allow for short term roadside license suspensions for drivers caught using a cell phone or other handheld electronic device.
The changes mean first-time offenders will be subject to a three-day roadside licence suspension. Any further offence in the following 10 years means the driver will be subject to a seven-day suspension. Suspended drivers will be required to surrender their driver’s licence immediately at the side of the road.
The changes also mean that police officers charging a driver with careless driving must immediately notify Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) to review the driver’s record to determine if further penalties are required.
Drivers who have their licence suspended will have to pay $50 to have it reinstated.
Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler said the new penalties mirror those for impaired driving “because the consequences are just as serious.”
“This legislation underscores the seriousness of distracted driving infractions and enacts stricter penalties for this behaviour,” Schuler said in a press release.
Along with the new roadside licence suspensions, fines for distracted driving will increase beginning Nov. 1.
The fine for using a hand-operated electronic device while driving will increase to $672 from $203, and demerit points for careless driving will increase to five points from two.
Distracted driving was a lead cause of collisions causing serious injury in Manitoba in 2017 – 30 people died and 184 were seriously injured last year in distracted driving incidents.
