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CityNews: Bills To Ban Cell Phones While Driving, Limit Big Rig Speeds Hit Queen's Park

"Drive now, talk later," could soon be more than just a sign on Ontario's highways. Durham MPP John O'Toole re-introduced his Private Member's Bill to ban handheld cell phones while driving Tuesday, and if he has his way it'll soon be law.

Similar to legislation in provinces out east including Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and even Quebec, the bill proposes a ban on hand-held cell phones when driving.

"Many governments around the world already recognize the connection between improved highway safety and the responsible use of cell phones," O'Toole notes in a statement. "It's time for a made-in-Ontario cell phone safety bill. The Government must recognize the broader issue of driver distraction and the use of technology while driving is dangerous."

Also Tuesday, a second proposed new law from the province surfaced, this time intending to make speed limiters mandatory in big rigs, capping their speed at 105 kilometres an hour.

The limiters are also intended to help the environment by limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

"I think this will be a major step forward," said Ontario's Minister of Transportation Jim Bradley. "The American Trucking Association said 87 per cent of trucks in the U.S. in their association already have these limiters on them."

The Ontario Trucking Association supports the limiters. Once the law is passed it won't matter where the truck comes from. If it was built after 1995 and drives in Ontario, it will be required to abide by the limit.

As for the cell phone bill, the new law would:

* Ban novice drivers from using cell phones when driving,
* Allow the Minister of Transportation, through regulation, to add additional devices to the banned list,
* Demand that all motor vehicle accident reports detail whether the use of technology while driving contributed to the accident,
* Make changes in Driver Education Testing to address all forms of driver distraction

If this sounds familiar, it should. O'Toole has repeatedly introduced the same proposal several times in the past, but as a private member's bill it's been nearly impossible to ram through - and all his attempts to make it law have ended in failure.

 
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There were at least 5 idiots on their cell phones on the 401 today in them middle lane causing a 3 km line of traffic.

I also saw some idiot get creamed (I wont mention the nationality) while he was on his cell phone. Dumbass tried to make a right turn from the middle lane and got smoked by a car in the right lane going 70+km/h. The guy's vehicle did a 360.

 
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Cappin big rigs at 105 is gonna **** up big time

 
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I agree. What happens at night when theres no one on the road except big rigs - I say let them speed (like up to 120) if its safe to do so. Theres also thousands of kilometers of freeway that are outside of major metro's - no one on the road to hit - I say fukk the govenor restrictor. Plus truckers being slowed down will mean the ones paid by hour will make more $$$ raising transport costs which will imcrease prices of products they carry to consumers, those paid my mileage wont be happy and will only drive longer hours to make up the distance, means they will fudge their log books even more and drive more tired than usual = more accidents caused by fatigue.

A govenor valve wont stop them from speeding on lower posted raods like 80 zones, etc....

If they inact this - they may also force non-commercial vehicles to get them to, meaning us.

They start with lil things when passing laws then it umbrellas out, just like the BS anti-racing laws do/will.

 
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Most rigs have speed limiters one them right now and Ill tell most know how to disable them. This is a good and bad thing first off.. I will give better fuel mileage which inturn saves alot in fuel costs. On the bad side delivers will start to be late which means everybody is working longer hours therefore more time and money wasted.

But I do agree that lets say from 1am-6am that the speed limit be raised to 120km..but then that would defeat the purpose of the speed regulator.

 
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Ban the cellphones, and 5 demerit points to whoever gets caught.
They **** me off so much that when I drive to work in the morning, that's the end of my "good" morning. Morons going 50km/h on a 70km/h zone. I don't want to sound like I'm stereotyping BUT majority of cellphone users on the road are women in their SUVs. Just my $0.02

 
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do what europe does, you either pull off into the side street to talk on the cell, or get a hands free kit... (and its not like a bluetooth headset, europe requires a fully integrated hands free!)

i only use hands free if i really have to talk in the car, or if im driving long distances, short distance i just let the voice mail get it, if its important enough they can wait

 
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agreed.
a bluetooth headset nowadays doesn't cost a fortune.
if they can afford gas, they can afford a bluetooth headset.

Better yet, a deck with a bluetooth connection (looking forward to getting one soon)

 
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Driving while talking on a cellphone has never once effected my performance while on the road. I guess im not a ****ing retard..maybe I'm actually a good driver. I will say though, when its raining or when i'm on a busy highway I usually put the phone on speaker.

 
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They already have a law for idiots that cant drive while talking on the cell phone its called careless driving , they just need to enforce it .

Most rigs dont have governors despite what some on here have said . The big companies have governors on their fleets but they also hire guys named Ackmud right out of trucker school . The big companies want everyone to have them because when people are in a rush for something they send it by Broker aka independent operators that can put the hammer down and get it to Texas in a hurry . 15 minutes after they mandate governors for rigs they will want them on your car you can bet on it so everyone should be fighting this .