OPP warns of distracted drivers caught on Highway 417
Officers say they caught a driver using a laptop and phone during rush hour Tuesday. Each distracted driving conviction brings a $615 fine, three demerit points, and a three-day suspension.
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Ontario Provincial Police are urging drivers to stay off their phones and laptops while on the road after catching multiple distracted drivers on Highway 417 this week.
In an egregious case, officers caught a driver using both a laptop and phone just before 5 p.m. Tuesday during peak rush hour. The driver was so focused on the devices that they didn't notice a police car beside them. This is the second time police have caught someone using a laptop while driving in Ottawa.
Officers also shared photos of other drivers caught using phones in traffic near lane closures on Highway 417. Each driver was charged with distracted driving.
In Ontario, a driver using a phone is four times more likely to crash than a driver focusing on the road, according to the province. Distracted driving injures one person every half an hour.