Aggressive driving at alarming level. Police getting tough and issuing more tickets than ever
Charges were laid in this deadly crash on the QEW in Mississauga. – Metroland file photo
The level of driving in Peel appears to be deteriorating.
There are more cars on the road and people seem to be in such a hurry to get, well, anywhere.
The proof is in the statistics. In 2016, Peel Regional Police saw nearly a five per cent spike in the number of tickets doled out to drivers in Mississauga and Brampton.
There were nearly 90,000 traffic tickets handed out last year, compared to 84,748 in 2015.
Peel Police Chief Jennifer Evans said earlier this year that “road safety” has been identified by residents as a “top safety concern” and as a result, Peel officers have beefed up their traffic campaigns.
But, what are drivers in Peel being ticketed for? Here are the top traffic violations in Mississauga and Brampton:
6. Texting and driving (3,914 tickets)
Everyone seems to have a smartphone nowadays and sadly, that has translated to drivers being caught on their phones more often. Still, police continue to try to drive home the message that distracted driving kills and that using Bluetooth or hands-free technology could save lives.
5. Running a red light (3,344 tickets)
Consider that with the number of tickets this offence produced, this happened more than nine times a day in Peel.
4. Careless driving (4,110 tickets)
This sounds like it could cast a wide net right? But, officers will tell you this offence is practically an automatic when it comes to rear-end collisions. Careless driving charges are also routinely laid in crashes that involve minor damage or minor injuries, and they can be disastrous for insurance costs.
3. Running/rolling a stop sign (6,066 tickets)
It’s these types of incidents that often end with pedestrians or cyclists getting hit. Unfortunately, more than 6,000 drivers disobeying stop signs is an atrocious traffic statistic.
2. Invalid Permit (15,164 tickets)
It’s illegal to drive with an expired, cancelled or suspended driver’s licence. Plain and simple. While some may say this charge has little impact on road safety, Peel police would beg to differ as in many cases, the driver’s licence could be suspended or cancelled due to a history of poor driving behaviour.
1. Speeding (31,596 tickets)
This Highway Traffic Act offence made up more than 35 per cent of the amount of traffic tickets Peel Regional Police doled out last year.
Seatbelt Violations (honourable mention): There were 1,731 tickets handed out to drivers in Mississauga and Brampton who failed to buckle up last year.
Please…Please wear your seat belt. #ThankYou
— Peel Regional Police (@PeelPoliceMedia) October 2, 2017
Source: Mississauga News