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Vlde aim ù cutb dlsrat ding lnddent of te p«mnda offenbe hm *flkydeed despbt fine inae By TIm WhIneII METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP The potential deadly impact of dis- tracted driving isn't getting thraugh ta many motorists, but that. hasn't stopped Halton police fiom trying ta get the message across in differ- ent ways. Police, in conjunction with several commnunity partneis, have pro- duced a short videa #ha attempts ta hammer home the possible dire corisequences of driving whlle dis- tracted.' The two-minute video, which de- plcts a mock crash caused by a tex- ting driver in wtaich two people were kltled, was launched at Georgetown District High School carier this month. It was made by Halton police in partnership with TVCogeco, Safe Cammunities Halton HuIs and radia station Zi 03.5. The short film was produced in No- vember 2013 an a road in George- town. It involved the efforts of six George- town DH5S drama and cosmetalogy students. Also appearing were Halton police officers and paramedics and Halton Hilîs firefighters. Police say enforcement blitzes and messages ta the public through media haven't stemmed the tide af people being stopped and ticketed in Halton for distracted driving. in fact local figures for the provin- cial offence have skyrocketed de- spite a recent increase in the fine for distracted driving and current talk of increasing that fine and pas- sibly adding three driver's licence demerit points. The fine amount for distracted driv- lng incoeased ta $280 from $155 in March. 'Since the inception of the dis- tracted driving Iaw in 2009, the use of celîphones and telecommunica- tion devices is rampant said Halton police media relations afficer Sgt. Chantai Corner. I 2013, Halton police issued 4,905 provincial offence notices. for dis- tracted driving. In the first quarter of 2014 (January ta March), 2,155 distracted driving charges were laid by Halton police, campared ta 895 during the same period last year - a whopping 140 per cent increase. "It is not so much the people who talk on the phone, it is the texting as drivers ke.p the phone in their lap ta keep, ithldden, which means their eyes are off the raad, sald Corner. 'One look at a text msage takes However, Corner said Halton police wll continue ta conduct more en- forcement of the issue. *Drlvers are stkW not getting it. It is a habit that people can't or won't break ... pedhaps until it's too late. A tough lessan to learn... as the video so greatly depicts, she sald af the ccN O Sda a FfdMm <.d NURS~JE$ 656 Robw6n Rd., Watodown, ON C.U.QILVNNOIMtKNO L M Tel.: 905.68.7433 connon.ca uïweowim a driver's eyes off *the road for five seconds - a long time. especWa- ly when one is traveUlng'at high Miltan/Halton HNIs police Super- intendent Chris Perkins said ap- proximately 2,450 traffic accidents occurred In the reglon in January and February of this year, with one- quarter ai them rear-end collisons. He said that indicates a degree of distraction by a large number of drivers. "W. as a police organization aie continually striving ta educate rath- er than enforce:' said Perkins. recently-praduced public service annaunicement <PSA) video. On April 7, the distracted driving videa began ta air on TVCogeco throughout Halton, leading up ta Canada Road Safety Week (May 13 ta 19). It's also one of the PSAs playing on monitors in the lobby af Haltons police stations. mhe video can b. viewed at http// gao.gl/OoYfmnl and will b. uplaad- ed ta VouTube and the Halton po- lice website. - with files from Lisa Tallyn, George- town Independent Free Press =r Clm prntion campaigi wins award " By Davld Lea their doors and removing vahiablesv.c M ETR OLA ND W EST for their vehicles ta prevent theft. MEDIA GR0UP The two-minute video shows apair- of the walking dead advancing an A crime prevention campaign featur- an unsuspecting gardener, but in- *- ing decomposing members af the stead of devouring her, they enter 3 undead succeeded in snaring the her unlocked home, steal a puise, Award of Mernt for Community Rela- Iaptop and, ultkmatuly, her vehie. tions for the Hafton Regional Police One of numurous campalgn posters 0 Service earlier this morith. shows desperate residents trying ta The honour was presented April 9 keep àhorde of zombies out o<their home with the caption, 'Honey, we reaN gotta start loclcig our doors nther er shos oe " ca~- the pWoWks atts.ulon wld, police reportftg a 40 per cent decrease in residen4i brea-ins and a 16 per!ne cent drap in *«ufs fmmn veNdces ini ca the thre. weeks following the start È. af the campaign. Et News about the award was weI re- 00 ceived by Hakton Police Chief Ste- 3 phen Tanner. »W. are proud ta share this award with the MaIton community as we did not win ts &W en our ownV he said. 'The common thread woven through oui oçgmnoeaton of 'One Vision, On. Miasion, On. Team' includes our members, aur volun- teers, oui partners anid ouf commu- nities, working tagether on crime pievention to help keep aur regian the safest place ta live in Canada." The campaign, which was launched ta coincide with Halloween on Octo- ber 31, 2013, saw the Halton police zombie video posted ta VouTube, sent ta foui movie theatres for view- ing on 39 movie screens, uploaded ta the Halton police website, shared through social media and played on Also visit aur Gadin Clubs ScreenScape monitors in aIl Halton 383 Dwida St. E, Watedwfl, ON police stations for public viewing. Tel.: 905.889.4631 A total of 500 zombie posters were EWET OF UKEUalso distributed across Halton. The vîdea and posters were made during the 23rd Annual Canadian by members of the Halton Regional Public Relations Society (CPRS) Ham- Police Service and their familes and ilton Pinnadle Awards ceremony, shot lin Uulingto. which were held at the Ron Joyce The award singled out Staff. Sgt. Centre on McMaster Unive rsitys De- Troy Iziakar, Const. Laurel Barnett, Groote Schaol of Business campus in Const. Noel Sawes, Const. Rab Par- Burlington. tridge, Canst. Caria Draper, Const. Th. winning campaign utilized the Mike Dinsmore, retired Superinten- current popularity of zombies ta dent Slgny Pittman, zombie actress draw attention ta crimes taking place Ashley Izlakar, makeup artist Marina in the cammunity, which could b. Snider, and Bradley Taylor, Dana prevented with some simple aware- Barnett and Janice Coffin af Halton ness. Police Corporate Communications. Police used posters and a video and The CPRS is a national saciety whose called on residents nat ta be zombies members practice public relations when it cames ta things like Iacking in Canada and abroad. f >1