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Distracted drivers nabbed in Chemainus blitz

Coordinated checks made at several locations
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RCMP Traffic Services Units around the province held a one-day enforcement blitz on distracted drivers and seat-belt checks March 1 at several locations, including Chemainus.

Members of the South Vancouver Island Traffic Services handed out 12 seat-belt tickets, six electronic device tickets and 15 other related violation tickets during the blitz in the Chemainus area.

Members of the Central Vancouver Island Traffic Services unit set up in various locations in the Oceanside area and wrote more than 60 violation tickets. CVITS members handed out 33 seat-belt tickets, eight electronic device tickets and 21 other related violation tickets.

“If you’re looking at your phone, you can’t see the road,” noted Inspector Tim Walton, officer in charge of Island District Traffic Services. “Some people still think that you can use your phone at a red light. In fact, that carries the same penalty as using your phone while driving: $368 and four points.”

Sergeant Darrin Ramey, NCO in charge of CVITS, expressed concern over the number of seat-belt tickets issued. “Wearing seat-belts is one of the simplest ways of dramatically reducing your chances of being injured in a collision. In recent months, there have been three traffic fatalities in the Parksville area that would have almost certainly been prevented had the occupants been wearing seat-belts.”

Police remind motorists to buckle up, slow down and focus on driving rather than electronic devices.



Don Bodger

About the Author: Don Bodger

I've been a part of the newspaper industry since 1980 when I began on a part-time basis covering sports for the Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle.
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