Cell phone use and sleep are a part of everyone's daily lives. However, either of those activities doesn't bode well behind the wheel.

In the month of March SGI's Traffic Safety Spotlight is concentrated on distracted and drowsy driving in the province of Saskatchewan. Police across the province will be on the lookout for drivers who aren’t giving the road their full and undistracted attention.

When it comes to distracted driving, the consequences are devastating. Not only do drivers have the risk of serious injury or death when not paying attention to the road, but there are also heavy fines if caught:

1st offence - $580 ticket and 4 demerit points under the Safe Driver Recognition and Driver Improvement Program.

2nd offence within a year of being convicted of the first - $1,400 ticket, plus an additional 4 demerit points.

3rd offence within a year of conviction of the first - $2,100 ticket, plus 4 more demerits, plus an immediate, 7-day vehicle seizure.

“Ignore the temptation to look at your phone when you’re driving,” said Penny McCune, Chief Operating Officer of the Auto Fund. “When you’ve arrived at your destination, you can doomscroll, go down a TikTok rabbit hole, or binge-watch Bridgerton to your heart’s content. But when you’re behind the wheel, driving is all you should be doing.”

Fatigue is another factor that can keep a driver from giving the act of driving the attention it deserves. If you are drowsy driving and can’t stay awake, recognize the signs and get off the road. When tired, drivers have a slower reaction time, decreased awareness, and impaired judgment.

To prevent any unnecessary tickets or life-changing accidents, pull over and park your car to use your phone, plan ahead by turning your phone on silent while driving, and if drowsy pull over a rest. If you keep your head out of your apps, and never drive drowsy, you can stop a terrible crash.