A police officer disguised as a bush catches dozens of distracted drivers

Are all tactics acceptable when it comes to catching drivers who violate traffic laws? Let's just say that law enforcement officers can sometimes get creative.

This was the case with the Dunellen Police Department in New Jersey, which wanted to ensure that drivers were complying with the state law prohibiting the use of handheld cell phones while driving. In a downtown area with heavy traffic and pedestrian traffic on North Washington Avenue, an officer disguised himself as a bush in order to catch offenders in the act.

With colleagues stationed a short distance away, dressed in their police uniforms, the operation resulted in 74 citations issued to drivers distracted by their cell phones in just six hours.

“Remember: that text message or notification can wait. Keep your eyes on the road, not on your screen!” the Dunellen Police Department reminds the public in its Facebook post.

What does the law in Quebec say?

Here in Quebec, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) has been running awareness campaigns for several years about the dangers of using cell phones while driving. The law is very clear: when driving, you must not use a phone or any other portable electronic device, unless you are using a hands-free device.

More specifically, the Highway Safety Code states the following:

“No driver of a motor vehicle shall use a cell phone or any other portable device designed to transmit or receive information or for entertainment purposes, or use a display screen. […] A driver of a motor vehicle who is holding, or otherwise using, a portable electronic device is presumed to be using it.”

Offenders face a $300 fine and 5 demerit points for a first offense. In the event of a repeat offense (within a two-year period), the fine doubles to $600, and the driver’s license is immediately suspended for 3, 7, or 30 days, depending on the number of repeat offenses.