Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/561260
SPEAKER'S CORNER 8 G O I N G P L A C E S | F A L L 2 0 1 5 Putting the Brakes on Distracted Driving I was once driving down Ellice Ave- nue when I noticed the driver beside me was texting. He stopped behind a car near an intersection where the light was red. e light turned green, so I proceeded to drive through the intersection. It took a while for the driver to realize he wasn't in gridlock traffic; he had, in fact, stopped behind a parked car. I had to laugh a little as I kept driving. How could someone be so oblivious to what's going on around them? Unfortunately, we all have stories about times we have seen someone drive distracted, and some of those stories don't end well. In fact, 99.41% of CAA Manitoba members have said they see people talking or texting on their phone while driving on a regular basis. This number hasn't changed since 2011 when texting and driving became ille- gal in Manitoba. Something had to be done. In June, I joined the Winnipeg Police Service, the RCMP, Minister of Justice Gord MacKintosh, Manitoba Public Insurance and MADD Canada at a news confer- ence to support the province's decision to add more demerits to the existing penalty. Distracted drivers now get five demerits and a $200 fine. is is a good start, but I believe we need to go further to drive home the mes- sage that distracted driving will not be tolerated. ere is no shortage of ideas on how we can further penalize distracted drivers, and our members have been forthcoming with suggestions, from taking phones away to impounding vehicles. We also can look at initiatives from our neighbours. One that has stood out to me comes from two provinces in the west. Saskatchewan and British Columbia's graduated licensing programs prohibit new drivers from using hand- held and hands-free (yes, even Bluetooth) during this probationary period. If caught, they could lose their license. Ontario will also be passing legislation that would see new drivers receive 30-, 60- or 90-day license suspensions, and the possibility of losing their tenure in the program if caught using a hand-held device. Much like we do in Manitoba for impaired driving, we need to be firm with new drivers: drive safe or risk not driving at all. It's about ensuring distracted driving doesn't become a habit from the moment drivers get behind the wheel, something an overwhelming majority of members say they would support here in Manitoba. Just like any new legislation, it takes time for people to change behaviours because it's a shift in mentality. Unfor- tunately, it seems some people won't change habits until they experience tragedy. One in four roadway fatalities can be attributed to a distracted driver, something preventable. It's up to each Manitoban to change their behaviour sooner than later. Please, don't drive distracted. GP –Mike Mager President and CEO, CAA Manitoba You Go, Girl! My husband, Cliff Charbonneau, is a CAA member. is is a picture of our two-year-old granddaughter, Violet, that my daughter took of her enjoying your latest issue. You can never start too young planning your first vacation! –Valerie Charbonneau, Winnipeg WRITE US: Going Places P.O. Box 1400, 870 Empress St., Winnipeg, MB R3C 2Z3 email: goingplaces@caamanitoba.com facebook.com/caamanitoba twitter.com/caamanitoba Correction In our Weekender column ("Kenora, Ontario"; Summer 2015), we inadvertently left out the contact information for Kenora-based Houseboat Adventures: 1-800-2KENORA or 1-800-253-6672; www.houseboatadventures.com; www.facebook.com/HouseboatAdventures. We apologize for any inconvenience.