A reminder from SGI about distracted driving.

The June traffic safety spotlight will be on distracted driving with a reminder that penalties for distracted driving increased significantly on February 1 which may seem like a lifetime ago when we weren’t under the COVID-19 safety protocols that we are now.

SGI spokesperson Tyler McMurchy said it’s important to issue the reminder now, especially since restrictions due to COVID-19 are easing.

“We do expect to see a bit more traffic on the roads,” McMurchy said. “we thought it was an opportune time to remind people that they should keep their focus on the road when they’re behind the wheel.”

McMurchy said the COVID-19 restrictions in mid-March saw the numbers drop.

“We saw 378 tickets issued in the month of March related to distracted driving,” McMurchy said. “In April, for that full-quarantined month, 130.”

With more traffic slowly returning to roads, SGI says you need to remember that holding, viewing, using or manipulating a hand-held cellphone while operating a vehicle will cost you $580 for a first time offender with the penalty being stiffer for repeat offences.

Distracted driving remains one of the leading factors of fatalities, injuries and collisions in Saskatchewan.

{With files from CJGX}