Police issued more than 100 tickets in a four-day Greater Victoria blitz targeting drivers on their phones, running red lights and not wearing seatbelts.
The Oct. 8-11 crackdown by the province’s highway patrol and the region’s Integrated Road Safety Unit focused on major intersections in Saanich, Victoria, Langford and Sidney.
A ticket for distracted driving under the Motor Vehicle Act in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ is $368, while those caught not wearing a seatbelt or running a red light can be ticketed $167.
Police said distracted driving is particularly dangerous as mornings get darker.
“We all need to pay greater attention to children and pedestrians in crosswalks and school zones,” said Insp. Adam Tallboy, officer in charge of the BC Highway Patrol on Vancouver Island.
ICBC statistics show 42 per cent of crashes involving pedestrians occur between October and January as weather and visibility worsen in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½
On average, 286 pedestrians are injured in crashes each year on Vancouver Island, said acting Staff Sgt. Jereme Leslie in a statement.
Pedestrians can do their part by wearing bright reflective clothing, using designated crosswalks, making eye contact with drivers and putting their cellphones away when crossing roadways, police say.
