BC Criminal Defence Lawyer Blog

Don't Answer That Phone, You're Driving in BC

It's a traffic offence to drive while talking on a cell phone

As of January 1 this year in BC it's a mass return to listening to our radio stations in our cars.

In BC we now have to let our cell phones ring through to voice mail while driving; our government passed a law saying we can't use hand-held devices while operating a motor vehicle.

It turns out though that all of us in BC will effectively have a one-month grace period until police officers issue tickets.  I suppose the one-month grace period is designed to give us 30 days to put into practice the art of driving without being on the phone.

If you have a wireless bluetooth ear-piece or some form of ear piece and can dial your phone without using the actual hand-held device, you're in luck in BC.  Our law only applies to hand-held devices.

Traffic fine is $167

Don't take this law lightly.  It's easy for officers to spot hand-held use and fine is an expensive $167.  Surely a chat while you drive is not worth $167. 

For those learner or novice BC drivers, you can't even use hands-free devices.  The new law mandates that you not talk to anyone except live passengers.

So why the new law that will no doubt impede our driving lifestyle where we evade driving boredom by conversing our entire commutes?  Death, destruction, widows, orphans, and injury. 

On the one hand it seems odd that it took this long for governments to pass this type of law. On the other hand once the dialogue in North America about passing this type of law started not too long ago, many provincial and state governments are following suit.

So while we've been planning for a January 1, 2010 start to silent driving, or at least returning to our satellite radio players, we have until February 1, 2010 until we'll see the red and blue lights for chatting on the phone.

With mobile phones practically becoming the new personal computer, this type of law will probably get drivers to again focus on driving rather than working and being entertained.