Alberta's distracted driving legislation now in Effect

Effective date

September 1, 2011

Alberta is the last province to implement distracted driving legislation.  Alberta's law (Bill 16) to improve road safety and prohibit a wide variety of distracted driving behaviours includes restricting drivers from:

·         using hand-held cell phones

·         texting or e-mailing

·         using electronic devices like laptop computers, video games, cameras, video entertainment displays and programming portable audio players (e.g., MP3 players)

·         entering information on GPS units

·         reading printed materials in the vehicle

·         writing, printing or sketching

·         personal grooming

The fine for this new offence is $172.