Undercover police operations target drivers with cellphones in hand

Police forces in Newfoundland and Labrador are turning to undercover operations to nab drivers who can't seem to put their cell phones down when they're on the road.  

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary was stopping drivers as part Operation Ringtone in Mount Pearl on Friday, using a white pickup truck that could easily be mistaken for a city vehicle. 

Once an officer inside the truck spotted a driver with a phone in hand, he or she would radio to another RNC cruiser to pull the vehicle over and ticket the driver. 

"We have had a drastic increase in the amount of collisions over the last ten years," said Sgt. Paul Didham.

"Our stats [show] it's up around 40 per cent increase in collisions, a lot of this attributed to distracted driving habits," he said.

"People are getting injured — seriously injured — and we want see that number decrease." 

More than 500 tickets

In about two hours, RNC officers handed out 16 tickets — $110 each —to people who just couldn't resist picking up their phones. 

People are getting injured — seriously injured — and we want see that number decrease- RNC Sgt. Paul Didham

People caught on their cell phones while driving also lose four points off their licences. 

After seven weeks the undercover operation has led to more than 500 tickets. 

"A success for us is to come out and have none and that's where we're trying to aim towards," Didham said.

Meanwhile, RCMP Traffic Services is following suit by conducting its own distracted driving enforcement blitz. 

The force said that on Monday and Tuesday it would patrol the Trans-Canada Highway in unmarked police cruisers looking for drivers on their cell phones.

Once they spot someone breaking the law, a marked police vehicle will be sent to pull the driver over and hand them a summary offence ticket.