News & Updates

Ban on Handheld Cell Phones for PEI Drivers

Attention all drivers, keep your eyes on the road, and your hands on the wheel! Effective Saturday, January 23rd it will be illegal to use a hand-held cell phone while driving a motor vehicle. This includes texting, dialing, talking, emailing or searching the Internet while operating a moving vehicle on Prince Edward Island.

Effective - Saturday, January 23rd, 2010, the ban forbids the use of all hand-held wireless devices while driving including:

• Cellular phones
  
• BlackBerrys
  
• i-Phones
  
• 10-4 phones
  
• GPS systems
  
• Laptop computers
  

Any driver caught using a hand-held device while driving could face fines ranging from $250 to $400 and three demerit points.

It is important to note that hands free technology is permitted, such as a head set, a speaker phone, or devices activated by a single touch button. Also, when it is safe to do so, drivers may pull their vehicle over to make a call, text, type or search the web. Emergency calls to 911 are permitted.