Local fine: handheld ticketing
- Greater Sudbury Police used an April 24 social-media warning to spotlight Ontario’s handheld-device penalties, telling drivers a first distracted-driving conviction can bring a $615 fine, three demerit points and a suspension. - The force’s message centered on one specific first-offence penalty: three days off the road after conviction, with higher court-imposed fines and longer suspensions for repeat offenders under Ontario rules. - Ontario has banned handheld phone use while driving since 2009, and the province still lists distracted driving among major collision risks. (ontario.ca)
Greater Sudbury Police used an April 24 post to remind drivers that using a handheld phone behind the wheel in Ontario can trigger a $615 fine, three demerit points and a three-day licence suspension on a first conviction. (facebook.com) (ontario.ca) The warning came from the Greater Sudbury Police Service during April, when police and safety groups often push distracted-driving awareness messages. The force framed the offence as both a road-safety risk and a hit to a driver’s wallet. (facebook.com) (nhtsa.gov) Ontario’s rules are broader than texting. The province says drivers cannot talk, text, type, dial or email using a handheld phone or other handheld communication or entertainment device while operating a vehicle. (ontario.ca) (caasco.com) A first conviction carries the $615 set fine if settled out of court, but Ontario says the total fine can rise to $1,000 if the case goes to court. A second conviction can bring six demerit points, a seven-day suspension and a fine of up to $2,000. (caasco.com) (ontario.ca) A third or later conviction is steeper still. Ontario says drivers can face six demerit points, a 30-day suspension and a fine of up to $3,000. (caasco.com) (ontario.ca) Novice drivers face a different penalty structure. Ontario and CAA say G1, G2, M1 and M2 drivers do not get demerit points for distracted-driving convictions, but they face longer suspensions, starting at 30 days for a first conviction. (caasco.com) (ontario.ca) Greater Sudbury Police has tied distracted driving to broader traffic enforcement before. In its 2024 Operation Impact release, the service said officers laid 13 distracted-driving charges over the Thanksgiving long weekend among 77 total charges. (gsps.ca) The province still treats inattentive driving as a major safety problem. Ontario’s road-safety reporting says distracted driving is one of the leading causes of collisions, and a 2025 provincial release said it accounts for one in seven fatalities annually. (ontario.ca) (news.ontario.ca) The Sudbury message was simple: a phone in your hand can now cost hundreds of dollars, points on your record and days off the road. (facebook.com) (ontario.ca)
