Centre Hastings OPP are reminding motorists to pay attention to the road after a truck driver was charged with driving while talking on a cellphone.
On Friday morning, a member of Central Hastings OPP stopped a tanker truck travelling on Highway #62 near Ivanhoe after the driver was observed talking on a cell phone.
The 43-year-old Shannonville man, whom police didn’t name, was charged with driving with a handheld communication device. This offence carries a fine of $490 and three demerit points.
Central Hastings OPP is encouraging drivers to focus on the important and complex task of driving and to use any of these tips to avoid driving distracted:
*Turn off your phone or switch it to silent mode before you get in the car
*Put it in the glove compartment (lock it, if you have to) or in a bag on the back seat
*Before you leave the house, record an outgoing message that tells callers you’re driving and you’ll get back to them when you’re off the road
*Some apps can block incoming calls and texts, or send automatic replies to people trying to call or text you
*Ask a passenger to take a call or respond to a text for you
*If you must respond, or have to make a call or send a text, carefully pull over to a safe area
*Silence notifications that tempt you to check your phone