Hearse being used in Toronto Police distracted driving campaign

The Toronto police are using a hearse to warn drivers about the dangers of texting and driving.

‘That Text or Call Could End It All’ safety campaign begins Monday and continues until Sunday.

“When you drive a motor vehicle you need to be focused on the task at hand, “Const. Clint Stibbe told CityNews.

“When you start using that cell phone, you start risking everybody’s life…Over the last two years, we’ve seen three fatalities that we can directly attribute to cell phone use.”

Bruce, a Toronto courier, said he sees that kind of behaviour often – but a ticket last year stopped him from picking up his phone while driving.

“People not paying attention, texting while they’re driving, looking down instead of watching where they’re going, pulling inf front of me — the whole nine yards,” he told 680News.

The hearse comes complete with a coffin and police lights.

Since 2011, Toronto police have laid over 55,000 charges for offences related to distracted driving. Last month, police in York region launched a similar blitz.

Drivers caught using a handheld device could face a $155 fine. If the motorist decides to fight the ticket, a judge has the discretion to reduce it down to as low as $60 or jack the fine up to $500. An officer can also hand out three demerit points.

911 calls are an exception.

It’s also illegal for drivers to look at display screens, such as laptops, MP3 players, or DVD players, that are unrelated to driving.

According to the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), driver distraction is a factor in more than four million crashes each year in North America and was the No. 1 cause of fatal crashes on OPP-patrolled roads in 2013.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today