ban on cellphone use

Slaw: Could cellphone use constitute electronic presence at crime?

May 24, 2012 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Health and Safety, Human Resources

The National Post recently presented the interesting case in which a New Jersey judge must decide whether someone can be “electronically present” in a car, even if they physically aren’t there, and, if so, whether the person can be held liable for events that take place, or that are caused by their electronic presence.

ban on cellphone use, cellphone use, Distracted driving, the Traffic Safety (Distracted Driving) Amendment Act, vicarious liability

Alberta tries again to ban the use of cellphones while driving

April 15, 2010 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources

The reliance on cellphones has led to an increase in talking on a cellphone while driving. Statistics show that driving while talking or texting on a cellphone is leading to driver distractions that cause car accidents. That’s why, on April 14, 2010, the Alberta government introduced…

2010, Alberta, ban on cellphone use, Bill 16, cellphone use, Employer liability, the Traffic Safety (Distracted Driving) Amendment Act, Traffic Safety Act, vicarious liability

Ban on hand-held devices in force October 26

September 30, 2009 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources

Ontario’s ban on hand-held devices while driving will take effect on October 26, 2009. It will be illegal for drivers to talk, text, type, dial or email using hand-held cell phones and other hand-held communications and entertainment devices. There will be a three month transition period for enforcement where the focus will be on educating drivers; police will start issuing tickets on February 1, 2010.

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Exempting truck drivers from ban on cellphone use

September 14, 2009 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources

I was recently made aware that the Ontario and Manitoba Trucking Associations are trying to convince regulators in their respective provinces to exempt CB radios and certain communication devices used specifically by truck drivers for dispatch and business-related purposes from the provincial bans on cellphone use and texting while driving that are to come into force this fall.

ban on cellphone use, cellphone use, employment law, Highway traffic act, HR issues, Human Resources, OH&S, ontario, trucking, vicarious liability

Expanding ban on cellphone use while driving

September 9, 2009 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources

An increasing number of studies show that driving while talking on a cellphone can be dangerously distracting. Some studies state that talking on a cellphone while driving makes a person four times more likely to be in a crash. This is a much higher risk than most other distracting activities. As a result, the governments of Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia have announced that they will draft legislation this fall to ban the use of hand-held electronic devices (such as cellphones) to talk or text while driving a vehicle; joining the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba, who have banned or are in the process of banning the use of hand-held wireless devices while driving this fall.

ban on cellphone use, cellphone use, employment law, Highway traffic act, Human Resources, vicarious liability