Prince George RCMP handed out 16 tickets for distracted driving last month and deployed a range of strategies to track offenders down.
They used fully-marked police vehicles, unmarked and unconventional police vehicles and even rode the transit bus as passengers to observe drivers using devices while driving.
The tickets carry a $543 penalty for first-time offenders - an initial fine of $368, plus four demerit points adding a further $175.
Coinciding with that effort, Citizens on Patrol volunteers conducted observations and spotted 57 drivers texting, talking, and otherwise holding a cellphone.
Warning letters were mailed out to registered owners of these vehicles, and one letter was sent to WorkSafeBC because it involved a commercial vehicle.
The crash risk is 23 times higher for those who text while driving, RCMP said. Distracted driving is the second-leading contributing factor in vehicle fatalities in B.C. with 88 deaths a year.
Drivers are urged to either pull off to the side or the road or use a truly hands-free device to make calls, check for messages or look for directions on their devices.
Talking or texting while at a stop light is against the law as is driving with headphones or ear buds in place and allowing a pet or cargo to obstruct a clear view while driving.
