Sudbury police warn drivers of tougher distracted driving laws

If you touch your phone while driving, you're breaking the law, warns the Greater Sudbury Police Service.

The simple warning comes days after Ontario implemented tougher fines distracted driving.

"You can't come to a red light and take your seatbelt off. If you were hit from behind and were in a collision you could still be injured. You couldn't be impaired driving, stopped at a red light and just because the vehicle's not moving say you're not driving," Sudbury police traffic officer Rick Carr said.

The same rules apply for distracted driving, including texting and talking on a cellphone.

The new fine for distracted driving in Ontario is $490 and three demerit points.

Carr says a driver can use a phone's GPS or make a hands-free call with headphones or Bluetooth, as long as they don't touch the phone and it's securely mounted to the dash of your car.

Drivers are also allowed to tap their phone once to start or end a call.

Carr says there is one more important exception, too. Drivers can still use a cellphone to make a 911 call.

Northeast OPP Inspector Mary Shannon says distracted driving is now killing more people than impaired driving.

Last year, 288 people died on provincial roads. Shannon said driver inattention accounted for the highest number of fatalities.