distracted driver stopped twice on same day

For some, getting burned isn’t enough to learn not to touch a hot stove.

The North Vancouver RCMP says an officer stopped the same driver twice in the same 17 minutes for using their phone while driving.

Const. Mansoor Sahak says the officer was patrolling traffic on a motorcycle when he spotted an alleged distracted driver.

“He pulled over one driver at 3:15 p.m. for use of electronic device while driving. And then literally, two blocks later on Main Street at 3:32 p.m. — 17 minutes later — the same driver was caught again using their cell phone and was ticketed again by the same officer for the same offense,” Sahak explained.

He says the driver tried to argue that they weren’t distracted, and it wouldn’t matter in slow-moving traffic. But Sahak says there’s no excuse for disobey a 15-year-old law.

“It’s very clear cut: if you’re on your phone, if you’re touching your cell phone while driving or can’t control the motor vehicle, you are breaking that law, and you will be ticketed. And that’s just what happened here, with this driver, in a span of 17 minutes, twice.”

He says March is distracted driving awareness month and police across the province are focusing on the issue.

“Get rid of the phone. Don’t take your chances. It’s $368 with four penalty points that you’re going to be paying on your birthday when you renew your driver’s license. It could get very expensive very quickly, and they could potentially affect your insurance premium. So it’s not worth it. Just get rid of it.”

—With files from Ben Bouguerra