New Ontario distracted driving laws come into effect today

Playing with the idiot box is about to cost you a whole lot more in Ontario as new traffic laws come into effect Tuesday.

The province is cracking down on distracted driving, as well as those who fail to move over for emergency vehicles.

Using a mobile device behind the wheel will now cost you a minimum of $490 and 3 demerit points. Novice drivers will also face a 30-day license suspension.

The Province says that distracted driving is one of the leading causes of road fatalities, and expects it to exceed even impaired driving by 2016.

The new laws also give a boost to cycling safety. Drivers will now be required to leave one meter's space when passing riders. Those who open their door into the path of oncoming cyclists and traffic will face steep fines of $365 and 3 demerit points.

Police are also cracking down on riders with inadequate lighting. Bikes are required to have a white front light and a red rear light or reflector if you ride between ½ hour before sunset and ½ hour after sunrise, and white reflective tape on the front forks and red reflective tape on rear forks. Failure to comply could result in a $110 fine.

Lastly, the Province is also stepping up safety for tow trucks. Drivers will now be required to move over one lane if they see a tow with its amber lights on. This brings them into line with emergency vehicles.

You can read full details on these new laws on the Province of Ontario's website.

Photo by frankieleon via Flickr. Used under CC 2.0 license