Ban On Hand-Held Devices Started October 26th

No hands
No Hands!

Ontario's ban on hand-held devices while driving took effect on October 26, 2009.

The new law makes it illegal for drivers to talk, text, type, dial or email using hand-held cell phones and other hand-held communications and entertainment devices.

 

 

 

Using a hands-free device is permitted as long as the device is:

  • placed securely in or mounted to the motor vehicle so that it does not move while the vehicle is in motion and the driver can see it at a quick glance and easily reach it without adjusting his or her driving position. For example, it could be secured in a cell phone holster, placed in the vehicle's cup holder, or fastened to the dashboard. It should not be sitting unsecured on the passenger seat.

Government of Ontario Makes Roads Safer By Countering Distracted Driving

It's now the law - the use of hand-held cell phones and other wireless devices while driving is prohibited in Ontario.

The new distracted driving law makes it illegal for drivers to talk, text, type, dial or email using hand-held cell phones and other hand-held communications and entertainment devices.  Hands-free use of these devices will still be permitted.

Today marks the beginning of a three-month period that will focus on educating drivers about Ontario's new road rules for hand-held wireless communication and entertainment devices.  Following the education period, police will begin issuing tickets on February 1, 2010, with fines of up to $500.

Police, paramedics and firefighters, as well as some commercial drivers and public service workers may continue to use certain hand-held devices when performing their duties. All drivers may use hand-held devices to call 9-1-1.

Driving requires your full attention.

Many drivers today tend to view driving, especially in familiar environments, as a simple everyday task that requires minimal attention. In fact, driving is a task that requires your full attention every time you get behind the wheel. At the very least you are:

  • Operating a heavy piece of machinery at high speed
  • Navigating across changing terrain
  • Calculating speeds and distances
  • Responding to other drivers, signs signals and obstacles around you

Quick Facts

  • Ontario joins more than 50 countries worldwide and a growing number of North American jurisdictions that have similar distracted driving legislation including Quebec, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, California and New York.
  • Studies show that a driver using a cell phone is four times more likely to be in a crash than a driver focused on the road. Dialing and texting carry the highest degree of risk of all cell phone-related activities.