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ARTICLE · 02 SEPTEMBER 2018

Mobile Devices And Driving In Ontario And Quebec

McCarthy Tétrault
McCarthy Tétrault
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McCarthy Tétrault

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In all cases, five demerit points are added to an offender's driver abstract upon conviction, out of a possible 15 for a typical adult driver.

CanadaTransport
David F. Blair
David F. Blair
Taha Qureshi
Taha Qureshi
Brian Lipson
Brian Lipson
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Mobile Devices and Driving in Ontario and Quebec

Recent amendments to Quebec's Highway Safety Code and coming changes to Ontario's Highway Traffic Act regulate more strictly the use of mobile devices while operating a motor vehicle in Quebec and Ontario. These rules, which apply both to drivers of personal vehicles and to drivers in the freight and passenger transportation industries, are part of an ongoing tendency to tighten legislation in this area. In this article, we look at the statutory regimes in Ontario and Quebec.

The Use of Handheld Devices in Quebec

The Quebec Highway Safety Code ("HSC") prohibits the use while driving of a portable electronic device or of a display screen, although a driver may send or receive telephone calls or text messages while using a hands-free device, and may use a smartphone's or other device's GPS function if the device is attached or integrated to the vehicle. The driver is presumed to be using the device if it is held in

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