More than 6,000 people fined for cellphone use while driving in Sask. in 2018: SGI
Police continue to crack down on drivers using cellphones behind the wheel
Distracted driving offences are continuing to rise in Saskatchewan, as 6,011 people were dinged with tickets for using cellphones while driving in the first 11 months of 2018.
SGI provided its latest numbers, from January to the end of November, which showed that distracted driving offences had risen from the year before.
The insurance agency says there's more enforcement for this type of crime now, with police using unmarked vehicles or stationing plain clothes officers in elevated positions to keep an eye out.
While distracted driving remains a leading factor in collisions, police are also continuing efforts to curb drinking and driving.
More than 3,000 people received criminal charges for impaired driving in 2018, according to SGI.
Here is the monthly breakdown for distracted and impaired driving offences provided by SGI:
| Month | Distracted Driving tickets | Impaired Driving (Criminal Conviction) |
| January | 500 (416 for cellphone use) | 221 (153 criminal code charges) |
| February | 407 (324 for cellphone use) | 312 (266 criminal code charges) |
| March | 711 (583 for cellphone use) | 329 (282 criminal code charges) |
| April | 516 (426 for cellphone use) | 269 (265 criminal code charges) |
| May | 544 (447 for cellphone use) | 404 (352 criminal code charges) |
| June | 567 (467 for cellphone use) | 375 (319 criminal code charges) |
| July | 626 (500 for cellphone use) | 323 (314 criminal code charges) |
| August | 898 (779 for cellphone use) | 347 (314 criminal code charges) |
| September | 896 (777 for cellphone use) | 371 (314 criminal code charges) |
| October | 793 (688 for cellphone use) | 318 (279 criminal code charges) |
| November | 728 (604 for cellphone use) | 288 (262 criminal code charges) |