THUNDER BAY -- Texting while driving is distracted driving. Talking on the phone while stopped at a light is distracted driving. Using a smart phone in any capacity while the vehicle is not parked is against the law.
Thunder Bay Police Service traffic sergeant Glenn Porter doesn't see shades of grey.
"The law says you can't use a telecommunication device while you're driving so we have to look more closely at what is driving," he said.
"As long as you're behind the wheel of that vehicle, you have control of the accelerator or the steering wheel, you're a driver."
Porter is often approached with questions of whether phone calls or text messages can be taken while drivers are waiting at a traffic light or a stop sign. The answer is no.
"You're driving your vehicle, you're a driver. You have to be aware of everything that's going on and that's the time we really want you to be focusing. Don't think of it as a temporary break in the action where you can get that text in."
Many well-intentioned Drivers wanting to follow the rules are pulling over to the road's shoulder and taking calls there. That's also illegal.
"Just by pulling over to the side, are you going to causing more of a problem, by the way that you're positioning your vehicle?" Porter asked.
"The first thing is, you have to be parking safely and in a place that's appropriate. Secondly, you have to put it into 'park.' You're not driving when your vehicle's in 'park.'"
