The distracted driving law makes it illegal for drivers to use cellphones and other hand held electronics while operating a motor vehicle on Ontario’s roads, according to the Ministry of Transportation.

This includes using cellphones for text, talk or e-mail, hand-operated GPS, portable DVD players and MP3 players.

Drivers are allowed to dial 9-1-1 in an emergency and are encouraged to use hands-free headsets or Bluetooth devices for their electronics while on the road.

The Ontario Provincial Police are giving drivers until Feb. 1 to become familiar with the law. During the three month education period, police will issue warnings to drivers who are caught breaking the new rule.

Sergeant Tim Burrows from Traffic Services with the Toronto Police Service said officers are focused on issuing warnings until Feb. 1, after which drivers can face fines up to $500 upon conviction.

“Right now, (police) can write tickets under the new law for anyone caught driving while on a cellphone,” Burrows said. “Educating drivers is our priority right now, and after Feb. 1, officers will be in a position to issue tickets.”

According to Burrows, there is no data on how many drivers have been issued warnings since Oct. 26. He said the law is straight-forward.

“It is 100 per cent illegal to use any hand-held device such as a cellphone, a smart phone, a portable video player or game console, anything useable by the driver,” Burrows said. “You can use a headset, wireless or Bluetooth but again, you can’t access dialing by hand.”

Burrows said there are no exceptions to the law. Being stopped at a red light and dialing is O.K. but only if you’re using a headset to talk. He doesn’t advise drivers to dial while in stop and go traffic on the highway because it’s still considered driving.

Burrows said the feedback from drivers about the new law is positive.

“The vast majority of drivers love it,” he said. “People really respect the fact that (talking on a cellphone) is a distraction. Even the people who have self-admittedly said it’s going to be tough for them to adhere to welcome the legislation because of the fact (talking on a cellphone) is a danger (to their safety).”

Toronto cycling advocates launched a new campaign to focus on the positive interactions between cyclists and motorists.

The Toronto Cyclists Union recently launched the “Cyclists Paving the Way” campaign to acknowledge drivers who are thoughtful and courteous towards people on bicycles.

The campaign involves handing out a thank-you note to any motorists who watch out for cyclists and allow them safe space on the roads.

Yvonne Bambrick, executive director of the TCU, says it’s much easier to focus on negative confrontations between cyclists and motorists, so the campaign is a chance to emphasize the positive.

“Nobody likes being told they’re doing something wrong,” Bambrick said. We’re flipping what is the regular dynamic and reminding people that there are a lot of really good drivers out there who do take care and watch out for cyclists.”

According to Bambrick, this means anything from a driver looking over his shoulder before opening a car door into traffic, to not creeping up on a red light to make a right turn and allowing the cyclist room to move.

The campaign was sparked following the Michael Bryant-Darcy Sheppard incident this summer. Sheppard, a bike courier, died after confrontation with Bryant, the former Attorney General for Ontario, who was driving his car downtown.

Following a wild confrontation on Bloor Street that reportedly had Sheppard clinging on to Bryant’s speeding car before smashing in to a mailbox, police charged Bryant with criminal negligence. His trial is scheduled to begin in November.

Some of the Cyclist Union volunteers who work in advertising came to Bambrick with an idea to make tangible the positive statements  the union had been making about promoting understanding between those who use the road. Bambrick said the campaign has another aim of making cyclists more aware of their road habits.

“By highlighting positive driver behaviour, it also allows people to reflect on their own behaviour as cyclists,” she said.

Sgt. Jack West is the senior traffic officer at Toronto Police Department 54 Division. He says that the campaign is a positive step towards better understanding between cyclists and motorists.

“There is more education (about sharing the roads) required for both sides,” West said. “But as long as (cyclists) are cautious as to how they approach a driver, I think it’s a fabulous (campaign.”

West recently completed a cycling blitz where police issued 134 tickets for unsafe or improper behaviour. Most of the tickets, he said, were from cyclists not having a bell or a light and from biking on the sidewalk.

Police also issued tickets to four motorists who made unsafe lane changes that could harm a cyclist. West said it’s important to recognize that both cyclists and motorists have a right to their space on the roads and it would be a good idea to put something in the drivers’ handbook about safety around cyclists.

Bambrick hopes the campaign brings some awareness to the ways cyclists and motorists can coexist. She said it was important to launch the campaign in the fall as statistically there are more collisions between the two groups .

(For the drivers,) it’s a chance to highlight and reinforce the fact that cyclists are there year-round,” Bambrick said. ”

Over the colder months, there are statistically more collisions because of fewer daylight hours.  For cyclists, (the campaign) allows them to think about their own behavior and reminds them of the importance of visibility.”

“I was trying to text and this lady in front of me stopped, and I didn’t look up in time,” Kirkpatrick, 23,  said. “I rear-ended her.”

For Kirkpatrick, this resulted in a careless driving ticket of $350. But at some point this fall, the consequences of electronically multi-tasking while behind the wheel will be a lot worse.

Before the forthcoming cellphone ban, which rules the use of any handheld device – including MP3 players and GPS systems – is prohibited while driving, a driver who caused an accident because they weren’t paying attention would get a careless driving ticket.

For the Ontario Provincial Police, it didn’t matter what caused you to be reckless; that was something they didn’t look into. After the ban comes into effect, however, the presence of a cellphone matters, and the price drivers will pay could double.

“You could literally get both,” Sergeant Dave Woodford of the OPP said. “What this legislation is going to do is change it so it doesn’t matter it it’s an accident of not. If you’re on the phone it will be a separate charge.”

According to the Ministry of Transportation, the link between cellphone usage while driving and car accidents is solid and well documented. Ministry spokeswoman Emna Dhahak said the evidence speaks for itself.

“Studies show there is a four-fold increase in collision risk when drivers use cell phones,” Dhahak said.

“An important study published by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found the most frequent type of secondary task performed by drivers is the use of a hand-held wireless communication device.”

There are arguments that doing anything while driving, including changing CDs or the radio, is just as dangerous as using a cellphone. The Canadian Safety Council is supportive.

“Our stance is that hands-free is not risk-free,” Powell said.  “We’re really pushing towards people trying to limit all distractions, but this law is a step in the right direction.”

For the OPP, the law is a good one if it increases the chances of people arriving at their destinations safe and sound.

“We’re supportive of any legislation that’s going to make the roads safe,” Woodford said. “If it saves a life then it’s a good piece of legislation. We’re into saving lives.”

Powell said the effectiveness of the ban is yet to be seen, but she is optimistic.

“We hope it will be effective and that there’ll be a lot of media campaigns done about it to raise the awareness,” Powell said.

However, a certain amount of mystery still hangs around the new law.

“We don’t know much about it because we haven’t seen it,” Woodford said. “It’s been presented but the details haven’t been worked out yet.”

Powell said they are fuzzy on the details as well.

“I’ve been trying to find a date,” Powell said. “But I heard it’s going to come into effect near the end of October. They’re just ironing out a few last details and once that’s done it’ll be in effect.”

Like Powell, Drive Safe Canada’s website cites Oct. 1 to Oct. 30 as the grace period before enforcement of the ban gets serious. According to the Ministry however, there is no official date set yet. The ban should be in effect sometime this fall.

As for Kirkpatrick, she’s learned her lesson, law or no law.

“I definitely don’t think it’s smart to be driving and using my cell phone anymore,” Kirkpatrick said. “I’ll try to be better about it, but it’s hard to break that habit.”