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Cell Phones and Driving

It is illegal to drive a road vehicle while using any hand-held device equipped with a functioning telephone.

However, this does not apply to drivers of an emergency vehicle when carrying out their functions (e.g. police officers, firefighters or ambulance attendants).

Just the simple act of driving with a device in your hands constitutes a violation liable for a fine of $300 and 5 demerit points.

To use your cell phone legally and safely, you can:

  • Park your vehicle in a safe location, or, in the event of an emergency, at the entry or the exit of a highway
  • Use a hands-free device

Even if the device is equipped with a "Hands-free" function, this can still be a source of distraction for the driver and likely to cause accidents which could have been avoided.

Mobile app

In order to tangibly support behavioural changes and remove the source of temptation, the Focus Mode application enables drivers to block incoming calls and text messages on their mobile phone. The application was initially developed for the Android 2.3.3 to 4.0.4 platforms.

Focus Mode Application - SAAQ

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