POLICE – Operation e-Baby catches dozens of distracted drivers

Is that a man walking with a baby on his back, or a police officer looking for drivers distracted by their electronic devices?

It’s a question the Kamloops RCMP Municipal Traffic Unit is hoping will help motorists decide to leave their phones alone this holiday season, and whenever they are behind the wheel of a vehicle throughout the year.

To help drive the message home, local police recently conducted Operation E-Baby, a project that saw an officer in plain clothes, wearing a baby carrier with a doll inside on his back.

In just one day, over several hours in late November at two downtown locations, police issued more than 25 cellphone use violations along with other traffic infractions.

“The volume of people using cellphones is crazy – you just have to put them away,” said Cpl. Wayne Chung of the Kamloops RCMP Municipal Traffic Unit. “If you can’t police yourself, we will police you.”

Many of the people caught are using their phones for texting or social media, he added.

“And they’re so distracted,” said Cpl. Chung. “I’m walking right up to them and they don’t even see it.”

When it comes to being stopped at red lights, Cpl. Chung has watched vehicles slowly roll forward and encroach on the intersection because they are so focused on their phone.

“Put it away and realize you need to focus on driving,” said Chung.

Distracted driving is one of the largest causes of collisions, and one of the things the unit will continue to look for along with impaired drivers during the holiday season.

Although the Municipal Traffic Unit is always on the lookout for these offences, particularly impaired driving, the number of impaired driving road checks generally increases during the holiday season as more people make their way home from parties and events.

During the first Saturday of December, the Municipal Traffic Unit issued eight 90-day driving prohibitions/30-day vehicle impounds for impaired driving; two three-day prohibitions, and one 24-hour prohibition, all related to drinking and driving.

“There’s absolutely no excuse to drive impaired in today’s society and the consequences are swift and immediate,” added Chung.

For more information and tips on safety for the season and planning a safe ride home, visit BC RCMP – Holiday season safety tips (rcmp-grc.gc.ca).