Ontario is cracking down on drivers looking at their phones.
This morning, Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca announced upcoming provincial legislation that will work to crack down on careless and distracted driving.
Under the new rules, a new offence for careless driving causing death or bodily harm would mean fines running between $2,000 and $50,000, up to two years of jail time and six demerit points.
It would also include licence suspensions up to five years for those convicted of the offence.
Speaking on AM800's the Lynn Martin Show, OPP Sergeant Dave Rektor says it needs to stop.
"Every day in every city, every municipality across the province of Ontario and country, officers are dealing with distracted drivers, the bottom line it is killing and injuring people."
(Photo of Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca)
Rektor says it's common sense.
"It really is preventable," he says. "If you don't want to end up in a wooden box, leave your cell phone in the glove box."
Rektor says distracted driving kills.
"Nobody, myself included, can text and drive or talk and drive without putting yourself or others at risk, it is something that we need to get as a society get around, think differently and act smarter."
The suspensions would begin at three-days for a first offence and increase to 30 days on third offence. The proposals also call for an increase in fines – boosting them to between $300 and $1,000 – for drivers who don't yield properly to pedestrians at crosswalks, intersections and school zones.
The proposed legislation is expected to be introduced at Queen's Park this autumn.