TORONTO - Ontario Provincial Police will be ramping up their efforts to prevent drivers from texting or eating at the wheel this week.
On Monday, the force is launching a week-long safety blitz that will target distracted drivers.
Provincial police say 35 people died last year in collisions where the driver was inattentive, and more than 1,000 were injured.
Distracted driving is believed to have caused almost 8,000 accidents on roads patrolled by the OPP in 2010.
The blitz is the first of four enforcement campaigns that will target distracted driving over the next 12 months.
Under Ontario law, using a cellphone while driving can result in a fine of $155. And other kinds of distracted driving, like eating or searching for something in the car, can earn a careless driving charge.
"We see this time and time again; people putting on makeup while driving and all of a sudden traffic comes to a halt and they slam into the back of someone," said Sgt. Dave Woodford. "That's careless driving."
Out of car distractions, like gazing out at the window when driving by an accident, can also create dangerous situations on our roads, Woodford said.
Careless drivers can receive fines ranging from $400 to $2,000, as well as possible license suspension and even six months of jail time.
