The better way to target texting drivers: York Region police ride the bus

A growing number of Canadian police forces are riding public transit to catch distracted drivers.

"Being on the bus, you have the large windows and being up higher we have a very good vantage point of the drivers and their vehicles," said Sgt. Aaron Sidenberg of York Regional Police.

"They're not suspecting that police are on the bus."

Sidenberg says people are in the habit of hiding their phones on their laps, so police have had to adapt in targetingthe problem.

About a month ago, police in Aurora, Ont. began boarding the bus, watching passing driversand informing patrollers which vehicles to pull over.

Some days, Sidenbergsays, they discover so many scofflaws thatthey can't ticket them all.

Thunder Bay, Sudbury andQuebec City areamong the Canadian cities where officers use this technique.

Experts say distracted driving, which includes using a cellphone or GPS device, eating orsmoking, can be just as dangerous as impaired driving.

The provincial government says the number of deaths caused by distracted driving in Ontariohasdoubled since 2000.

They also say thatdata collected in 2013shows that one person is injured in a distracted driving collision every 30 minutes.

Police ride buses to ambush texting drivers

8 years ago

Duration 2:08

Public transit provides 'a very good vantage point' to spot drivers hiding cellphones

The Insurance Bureau of Canada says there's been an increase in distracted driving collisions and claims across the country.

Drivers 'not paying attention'

"They're a result of people not paying attention," says Steve Kee, a spokesperson for the bureau.

The bureau has launched social media campaigns warning people against the dangers of distracted driving, but Kee worries that Canadians aren't listening because many new drivers grew up with cellphones in their hands.

"I think it's a culture of people being obsessed or addicted to their phones. I don't know anything that is that important that it can't wait."

In Ontario, the fine for distracted driving is $490. In other provinces the penalty isa fine of more than $600 and some demerit points on a driver's licence.