Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I addressed the public’s seemingly lack of regard for distraction driving legislation as it pertains to cell phone use while driving. Can the Minister of Transportation indicate as to how many convictions, tickets and warnings have been issued in the NWT since the inception of this law as of January 1st of this year?
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The latest data that the Department of Transportation has on tickets issued under the distracted driving legislation goes until almost the end of May, and that resulted in 30 tickets being issued. As to the amount of warnings, I’d have to get that number for the Member.
I think everyone in this room and I think people listening would probably indicate that that is a fairly low number of convictions in distracted driving in the NWT. What is the Minister and the department doing to reinforce this law?
The House, the last Legislative Assembly passed that legislation. It came into force January 1st of this past year, or this year. We have the law in place. It’s a fine of $115. It’s three demerit points. We have had a public awareness campaign, Leave the Phone Alone, through our Drive Alive program. We have efforts like that. But at the end of the day, people that still choose to use their phone… I haven’t heard the concerns that the Member brought up today in his statement. I know, speaking on a personal note, it’s made me leave my phone alone. I believe three demerit points and a fine of $115 is a real hit if you get caught using your phone while driving.
Thanks to the Minister for the comments there. Public perception seems to be polarized on the issue on the use of cell phones while driving. Too many, as we indicated, are taking the chance of not getting caught, as they’re feeling no fear of such activity. Is it time to raise the stakes? I think many of us are saying yes.
Would the Minister consider improving the safety of our territory with an amendment of the act which authorizes the removal and confiscation of the illegal and dangerous use of a mobile tool while driving?
This is fairly new legislation. The numbers that I gave the Member earlier, 30, that doesn’t include the last four or five months. We’ll get updated numbers for the Member.
But it’s like seatbelts. When seatbelts, you know, wearing a seatbelt came into force, it took the public, it took people awhile to put on a seatbelt and wear a seatbelt for safety reasons. Nowadays you do not get into a vehicle and not put a seatbelt on. I do believe that through public awareness, through enforcement, tickets being issued, people losing demerit points, I do believe that as we move forward and the legislation is in place for a while, that people will not use their phone when they’re driving. I do believe that will certainly happen.
As to an amendment to the existing Motor Vehicles Act under the distracted driving, this is the first I’ve heard of that, and that’s something obviously this government can consider.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do concur with the Minister that it’s something that we have to learn, but the behaviour has to be changed and we have to enforce that. It is our job as a government. I am pleased to see that the Minister has indicated that he will be bringing this forward for a review.
Could the Minister also offer this House his plan to address the low number of these convictions under this distracted driving legislation and provide a meaningful strategy to reduce improper road user behaviour?
If the committee asks the government to look at that, we certainly would take a look at it. Also, if I could just mention this: The RCMP isn't the only agency that enforces. By-law can also enforce the legislation. If there’s a crackdown, there’s a real effort to try and increase the number of tickets that are issued, that’s something, working with the Minister of Justice and the enforcement agencies in the territory. If that’s something that we’re interested in doing, then perhaps that’s something we could look at as well.
But certainly, it’s the Regular Members who have the prerogative. If the committee feels it necessary to have a look at the Motor Vehicles Act and wants to suggest an amendment that would look at the confiscation of cell phones if you’re caught using a cell phone while driving, we look forward to that letter.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
