A dramatic spike in deaths linked to inattentive driving has Ontario Provincial Police stepping up enforcement with a zero-tolerance approach.
In 2024, 45 drivers lost their lives in the OPP West Region in crashes attributed to inattentive driving, compared to 15 deaths in 2023, a 200 per cent increase in just one year.
In the OPP-patrolled areas of Essex County, there were four deaths attributed to inattentive driving in 2024 and two in 2023.
Provincially, 80 people lost their lives in collisions last year in which inattentive driving was the primary contributing factor, an increase of 40 per cent over 2023, when 57 people died in crashes involving an inattentive driver.
To address the sharp increase, the OPP has launched the 'Stay Focused' campaign to crack down on inattentive driving on Ontario's roads and highways, a campaign that will run until April 4.
Inattentive driving refers to all forms of distracted or inattentive driving, such as adjusting a vehicle's entertainment system, GPS unit, or stereo; eating and drinking; using a hand-held communication or hand-held entertainment device, and self-grooming.
OPP West Region Media Relations Coordinator, Derek Rogers, says it also includes tending to children in the back seat.
"Really, you have to think about the safety of those kids in addition to your safety, in addition to the safety of those around you, the folks that are sharing the road with you. If you need to provide that degree of correction to the kids in the back, you really should pull over for that kind of thing," he says.
Rogers says we all know behind the wheel, things can happen quickly.
"Perhaps you're following too closely in addition to not paying attention. We know emergencies pop up; a moment of crisis pops up. If you're not paying attention, you're not prepared to act quickly and take protective measures to get yourself out of a jam," he says.
Distracted driving fines can be as high as a thousand dollars if convicted, and the charge also includes a three-day driving suspension.