West Shore RCMP were transparent about plans to set up at a Langford intersection on the afternoon of July 25 to check for distracted driving.
Despite this, police still handed out 30 tickets and 18 warnings for distracted driving, as well as six tickets and three warnings for other driving offences.
Police had even put up signs along Veterans Memorial Parkway to give drivers advanced warning of where officers were stationed.
"Drivers would have passed by numerous signs warning them against distracted driving before being pulled over by police," said West Shore RCMP Const. Sean Van Londersele in a news release. "We were disappointed in the high number of tickets we issued for distracted driving. We had hoped the number would have been much less."
In B.C., a distracted driving ticket for using an electronic device while driving can result in a $368 ticket and four points on a person's license. There are even stricter penalties for L and N drivers.
The RCMP say they are planning more campaigns like this one in the future.
"We have always taken a zero-tolerance approach to distracted driving, and it needs to stop," said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, in the news release. "Don’t put yourself or others at risk — follow the rules of the road."
