Personally, I think, for the most part, the distracted driving law is a little bit stupid. Not that distracted driving isn't dangerous, it is.
Lets use an example. I have a holder that holds my iPhone up on my dashboard. While it's there, I can still legally use my Blueant bluetooth device to activate Siri. I reach up to my sunvisor, and press one button. However, sometimes due to the ambient noise of the vehicle, Siri just keeps listening, instead of processing what you have said. In this case, pressing the button on my Blueant does not get Siri to start searching. Only the siri button on the screen of the iPhone will do this. I can, without looking, touch the screen of the iphone to get siri going, a single touch. Technically, this is illegal. The only difference is where I'm reaching to press one button.
I'd argue that texting is significantly more dangerous than holding a phone up to your ear, which is a little bit more dangerous than handsfree calling. There are situations where holding a phone up to your ear while driving is well within an acceptable limit. I'd argue that it is well within acceptable limits to hold a phone to your ear while driving on a non busy divided highway, for example. I done it many times, without a hint of distraction. Of course, doing the same on a busy Deerfoot Trail is completely different.
Obviously typing a quick text while stopped at a light is much different than texting while driving in busy traffic.
Ultimately, I think it comes down to the judgement of the cop - and that is why I think the destracted driving laws are silly. We already had laws that allowed cops to use their judgement to see if someone was driving distracted. Enforcement of the existing law was needed over the black and white law that was created, which Police are essentially not enforcing anymore, perhaps because they choose to use their judgement instead.
I wonder what the results or court trials on the distracted driving law have been? Are people gettng off in court when they have received a ticket for touching their phone while stopped at a light?
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