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Not So Smart driver with Smart Watch

Nelson Daily Staff
By Nelson Daily Staff
March 13th, 2019

During March, which has been tabbed distracted driving/occupant restraint month by police, an officer with the West Kootenay Integrated Road Safety Unit pulled over a driver for using an electronic device while driving on a street in Castlegar.

The difference this time was the electronic device was a smart watch said West Kootenay Integrated Road Safety in a media release.

“What initially grabbed the officer’s attention was the driver focussing intently on her watch,” the release said.

“(Officer) then watched her start to tap and swipe the watch. A subsequent pull over determined that the driver was using a smart watch. This was a clear case of using an electronic device while driving which starts with a penalty of $368.”

Sergeant Chad Badry with the West Kootenay Traffic Section said this is almost worse than using a conventional cell phone.

“Trying to steer and read messages on a smart watch is just not smart,” Badry explained in the release.

“Aside from the potential penalty if caught, the consequences could be devastating for all involved as we saw exemplified in the Quebec court decision yesterday.”
Badry added that March is distracted driving/occupant restraint month for all police in BC and CMP would like to remind driver’s to be smart about using their smart devices. 

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