The Regina Police Service will once again be raising awareness of the risks associated with distracted driving through “Operation Bus Cop”, which will run throughout October.
Distracted driving is the leading cause of traffic fatalities in the province. In 2016, in Saskatchewan, there were 8,296 collisions where distracted driving was a factor, compared to 5,700 collisions where distracted driving was a factor in 2015. Throughout October, the Regina Police Service will be partnering with Regina Transit and SGI in “Operation Bus Cop”; an initiative where uniformed police officers will periodically ride Regina Transit buses to spot drivers who are on their cellphones or engaged in other behaviours that could be considered distracted driving. The use of Regina Transit will allow officers an excellent vantage point to observe motorists who choose to contravene distracted driving laws.
The Regina Police Service Traffic Safety Unit will kick off the second “Operation Bus Cop” on October 2, 2017, which will run throughout the month. The RPS social media campaigns will alert Regina residents that police will be conducting this type of enforcement in the coming weeks in an attempt to change the behaviour of motorists who choose to use their cell phones, not wear seatbelts, or commit other infractions while operating motor vehicles.