A distracted driver was slapped with a hefty fine in Vancouver for driving with an iPad on her lap while using her cell phone.
The Vancouver Police Department's (VPD) Traffic Section shared an image on Wednesday (March 22) evening of a woman with an iPad plugged into her car.
One of the VPD members had stopped the driver while she was travelling eastbound in the 1600 block of East 1st Ave, according to the tweet.
The woman was slapped with a $368 fine plus four driver penalty points.
"Hopefully a lesson learned as well," quipped the police, adding the hashtags "leave your phone alone" and "eyes [forward B.C.].
Vancouver police nab multiple distracted drivers
Distracted drivers are involved in multiple collisions across the city. In December 2022, a Vancouver driver who was "adjusting his shoe" crashed into a tree and injured two passengers in the car.
According to provincial data, distracted driving is responsible for more than 25 per cent of all car crash fatalities and is the second leading cause of fatal collisions in B.C. Every year, an average of 77 people die in fatal motor vehicle collisions in B.C. because the driver was distracted or not paying attention.
"It’s not just the cost of a ticket -- the potential consequences could be life-altering. Nothing on your phone is worth risking someone's life," wrote the Traffic Section in a Tweet.
Distracted driving is more than electronic devices being used; other reasons for the citation include personal grooming, eating/drinking, reading, pets, other passengers, and not knowing your route.
With files from Castanet
