Prayer app not exempt from distracted driving laws
When it comes to distracted driving, there are few excuses that actually work. Just picking up your phone after it falls in the footwell? Distracted driving. Plugging your phone in to charge while driving? Distracted driving.
Well, it appears as if another excuse has fallen on deaf ears with the police. A driver was pulled over after he was allegedly seen handling his phone behind the wheel. His excuse? He was “interacting with a prayer app”.
According to Delta Police, the driver was holding his phone and using a prayer app which was apparently giving information on a prayer that he needed to do.
Is there an exemption for prayer apps?
This example was based on information from Delta police so we do not know if the driver intends to use religion as a defence. Unfortunately for the driver, we doubt any such defence would hold up in Court.
You do not have the right to interact with an app if it is not mandated by your religion. Seeing as most religions are thousands of years old, we sincerely doubt there’s a holy text that mentions phone apps.
Can you interact with any phone apps?
You might ask, are there any phone apps you can interact with while driving. The answer is yes, but with some important qualifications.
As a Class 5 driver, you are allowed to interact with your phone, for example, to answer calls or use GPS, so long as the phone is:
- Securely fixed
- Only requires one touch to answer, activate
You can, for example, use voice activation to operate your device or answer a phone fixed to your dash if it only requires one touch.
What to do if you get a distracted driving ticket
Distracted driving, or use of an electronic device while driving, is punishable with a $368 fine and four driver penalty points. That means if you get a ticket, you can expect to pay more for your auto insurance.
Sorry, God won’t save you from a distracted driving ticket. But we might be able to. Give us a call on 604-608-1200.