Ottawa Police Nab 23 Distracted Drivers — Including One With a Laptop
Ottawa drivers, consider this your reminder: the roads are being watched. Ottawa police recently caught 23 people using handheld devices behind the wheel during an enforcement blitz — and one of those devices wasn't even a phone. It was a laptop.
The sweep, reported by CityNews Ottawa, underscores an ongoing problem on city streets: distracted driving remains one of the most dangerous — and stubbornly persistent — habits on Ontario roads.
What the Law Says
Under Ontario's Highway Traffic Act, it's illegal to use a hand-held communication or entertainment device while driving. That means phones, tablets, and yes — laptops. The law doesn't care what you're doing on the device; if it's in your hand and you're behind the wheel, you're breaking the law.
First-time offenders in Ontario face a fine of up to $1,000, three demerit points, and a three-day licence suspension. Repeat offenders can lose their licence for 30 days and face fines up to $3,000. Novice drivers (G1, G2, M1, M2) face an immediate 30-day suspension on the first offence.
Why It Keeps Happening
Despite years of public awareness campaigns and increasingly steep penalties, distracted driving continues to be a leading cause of collisions in Ontario. Provincial data has consistently shown that distracted driving rivals impaired driving as a top killer on the road.
For Ottawa specifically, the mix of highway corridors, busy urban streets, and suburban commuter routes creates plenty of opportunity — and temptation — for drivers to glance at their screens. Commuters stuck in LRT-replacement bus traffic or crawling through construction zones may feel the urge to check messages, but enforcement blitzes like this one serve as a sharp reminder that police are watching.
The laptop case is particularly striking. It's one thing to sneak a glance at a phone notification — reckless, but sadly common. Operating a laptop while driving suggests a level of distraction that goes well beyond a momentary lapse in judgment.
Ottawa's Push on Road Safety
Ottawa Police Service has ramped up targeted traffic enforcement campaigns in recent years, with dedicated units watching for speeding, aggressive driving, and distracted driving. These blitzes often coincide with provincial safety campaigns and tend to cluster around high-collision corridors and school zones.
If you see something concerning on Ottawa roads — whether it's a driver clearly looking at a screen or someone weaving erratically — you can report it to Ottawa Police at 613-236-1222 (non-emergency line).
Bottom Line
Put the phone down. Put the laptop away. No message, email, or notification is worth a fine, demerit points, or worse — a collision that injures yourself or someone else on Ottawa's roads.
The 23 people caught in this sweep learned that lesson the hard way. Don't be number 24.
Source: CityNews Ottawa via Google News
