Woman accused of driving while using her laptop
RCMP announce distracted driving charges against woman accused of driving with an open laptop in Vernon, BC. (Image Credit: BC Highway Patrol)
RCMP announce distracted driving charges against woman accused of driving with an open laptop in Vernon, BC. (Image Credit: BC Highway Patrol)
VERNON – In a bizarre case of distracted driving, RCMP say they caught a woman behind the wheel of her car with a laptop on her lap.
Police say they stopped the 52-year-old on November 5, 2026, during a distracted driving operation in the city.
They say a BC Highway Patrol officer witnessed the driver of a blue Honda with an open laptop on her lap on Highway 97 in Vernon.
The woman, from West Kelowna, is now facing a $368.00 fine.
“Driving is a complex task that requires your complete attention to deal with the unexpected,” said Sergeant Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. “Just because you’re comfortable behind the wheel, and you have something you ‘need’ to do, doesn’t mean the rules of the road don’t apply to you.”
“It’s astonishing that we need to remind drivers that watching TV and using your laptop is illegal, or that holding a cell phone like a piece of pizza is not ‘hands free,’ but here we are,” said Sergeant McLaughlin.
RCMP say the laptop ticket was issued during a 2.5-hour blitz that resulted in a total of 25 cell phone tickets and 10 tickets for seatbelt violations.
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