North Vancouver driver ticketed twice in 17 minutes for using phone

Police say they ticketed a driver for distracted driving twice in 17 minutes on Thursday, March 6. (Courtesy: North Vancouver RCMP/X)

It seems it only took a few minutes for a driver in North Vancouver to forget the lesson learned from a ticket for distracted driving.

Mounties say they pulled a driver over at 3:15 p.m. Thursday at Main Street and Lynn Avenue for using an electronic device while driving. The individual was handed a $368 ticket.

Only 17 minutes later, at 3:32 p.m., police say the driver was caught again for the exact same thing at Main Street and Harbour Avenue, earning another $368 fine.

“If only they put the phone down as fast as they picked up that second ticket,” the North Vancouver RCMP wrote in a social media post. “Put the device away. It can wait.”

In total, the driver racked up an impressive $736 in fines and eight penalty points on their record.

According to ICBC, distracted driving is a factor in 37 per cent of crashes reported to police, and is a contributor to 79 road deaths and 5,197 injuries per year.