If you can’t see BC Highway Patrol, you’re too distracted

BC Highway Patrol

2025-03-13 08:03 PDT

BC Highway Patrol walked right up to drivers and issued 13 tickets as part of a distracted driving operation in Richmond- even though the officers were wearing highlighter-yellow jackets.

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The education and enforcement on March 11, 2025, was part of a joint operation with Richmond RCMP, ICBC, Metro Vancouver Transit Police, and the City of Richmond in support of Distracted Driving Month.

As soon as a driver picks up an electronic device, they’re breaking the law, says Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. Drivers who are using cell phones are completely unaware of the yellow jackets of BC Highway Patrol officers right beside their vehicle windows. It’s a good illustration of how distraction and tunnel-vision lead to bodily harm and death.

Working at various locations throughout Richmond, BC Highway Patrol spoke to many people about the dangers of distracted driving and also issued:

• 10 tickets for using an electronic device while driving, section 214.2(1) of the Motor Vehicle Act ($368);
• 1 ticket for failing to wear a seatbelt, section 220(4) of the Motor Vehicle Act ($167);
• 2 miscellaneous violation tickets.

We would be perfectly happy to stop writing any more distracted driving tickets, said Corporal McLaughlin. But as long as distracted driving is one of the leading causes of death on BC roads, we will continue to make distracted driving enforcement a priority.

Released by:

Email: bchp_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: bc-cb.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/highway-patrol

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