Car Crash, 2025. Image by Jon Tupper
FORT McMURRAY – Alberta RCMP are reminding drivers in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) and throughout the province to stay focused behind the wheel as distracted driving continues to pose a safety risk on local roads and highways.
Police say operating a vehicle requires full attention to surrounding traffic, pedestrians and road conditions, particularly in a region with heavy industrial traffic, winter driving hazards and long highway commutes.
In 2025, Alberta RCMP issued 3,337 tickets for distracted driving across the province. Officers say distractions extend beyond using a handheld phone and can include personal grooming, reading or writing, adjusting GPS or audio systems, and tending to passengers or pets.
Police encourage motorists to plan ahead by setting navigation and music before driving and to pull over safely and park if a call or message cannot wait. Stopping at a red light to use a device still qualifies as distracted driving under Alberta law.
The penalty for distracted driving is a $300 fine and three demerit points.
Sgt. Darrin Turnbull with Alberta RCMP says even a brief lapse in attention can lead to a collision, adding distractions behind the wheel are never worth the risk to drivers or others on the road.
Comments