November historically bad month in Sask. for cellphone use behind the wheel: SGI

November was a historically bad month for Saskatchewan drivers, with hundreds busted for using cellphones behind the wheel.

According to SGI statistics, 554 distracted driving offences involving cellphone use were committed in the province. 

Those people caught with a phone behind the wheel will be hit with a $280 fine. Police reported 636 distracted driving offences in total last month.

"Police are also watching out for [distracted drivers] because it's a very significant traffic safety concern," Tyler McMurchy, SGI's manager of media relations, said Tuesday.

"I think that's something people are increasingly aware of. Over the past few years, we've seen a number of collisions, injuries and fatalities increase, related to distracted driving."

"These are — by far — the highest numbers reported in a single month in the history of Traffic Safety Spotlights," an SGI news release said of the distracted driving numbers. 

There were 42 deaths related to distracted driving on Saskatchewan roads in 2016 and another 1,205 injuries.

At the beginning of this year, the province clarified language on distracted driving, meaning anyone behind the wheel "holding, viewing, using or manipulating" a phone would be in violation of the law.

Examples of other distracted driving offences unrelated to the use of a phone are reading or writing behind the wheel or putting on makeup.

Driving unlicensed and unregistered

Police also issued 519 tickets for operating a motor vehicle or trailer while unregistered and 345 tickets for driving without a valid licence or failing to abide by licence restrictions, such as not wearing glasses behind the wheel.

They reported 302 offences for driving while suspended or disqualified.

McMurchy credits the use of 59 automated licence plate readers in use by police in the province. The readers automatically scan licence plates and let police know if the plates are expired and whether the driver may have restrictions or suspensions in place. 

The number of plate readers in Saskatchewan will "dramatically" increase in the future, McMurchy added.

Those caught driving illegally on Saskatchewan roads will get a $580 ticket for driving without proper registration. If someone does it again, within 12 months of the first offence, police will seize and impound their ride for seven days.

"You know, I think just the message to people — if they don't have a valid licence, if they are suspended from driving —[is] they really need to not risk it and not operate a motor vehicle," McMurchy said. 

"It's not worth the risk."

People saying they are on their way to SGI is not an excuse, the Crown corporation says, since drivers now have the option to renew registrations online.