Police report record number of distracted driving offences in Sask. last month, according to SGI

Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) says October was a record-breaking month in the province for distracted driving tickets. 

Police reported 793 distracted driving offences last month, according to SGI, which is the most distracted driving offences for a single month on SGI record.

That includes 688 cellphone tickets and 105 tickets for driving without due care and attention.

• Saskatchewan has eye on Manitoba's harsh new distracted driving laws

• Distracted driving charges skyrocket in Sask.

"It's very apparent that it's a serious traffic concern when it comes to safety on Saskatchewan roads," said Tyler McMurchy, an SGI spokesperson.

"It's the number one human factor when it comes to collisions, the number one human factor when it comes to injuries and it's second only behind impaired driving when it comes to fatalities."

But the news isn't all bad.

"On one hand, the results tell us how good police are at catching distracted drivers," said McMurchy.

SGI says an officer in Regina, nicknamed "Hawkeye," has issued over 1,000 distracted driving tickets this year.

"Clearly, though, there are a lot of drivers who still need to get the message," said McMurchy.

SGI will be issuing three traffic safety spotlights in 2019 focused on distracted driving in 2019, according to McMurchy.

Sask. mother speaking out against distracted driving

The same month the record was set, a Saskatchewan mother spoke out about the dangers of distracted driving after her daughter was killed in a collision.

• 'One lapse of judgment': Mom of teen killed in train crash pleads for drivers to put away cellphones

"I don't get to go grad dress shopping. I had to buy an urn instead," Sanra LaRose told CBC in October. "I get to look at that urn every morning and every night. I only get to kiss a picture goodnight."

LaRose said she believes her daughter was distracted by her phone when her car collided with a train.