A woman who was talking on her cell phone while drinking from a water bottle and speeding was one of the distracted drivers who were issued 22 tickets by police and Alberta sheriffs from Red Deer, Innisfail, Ponoka and Wetaskiwin.
Unmarked police and traffic sheriff vehicles monitored vehicles on Hwy 2 on Friday between Innisfail and Wetaskiwin and plenty of violations came to light.
Among them:
• Three tickets were issued to careless drivers observed texting with their heads down. These drivers were swerving between lanes and speeding. The fine for careless driving is $402.
• Four tickets were issued to drivers who allowed various things to interfere with the safe operation of a motor vehicle. The driver talking on the phone and drinking from a water bottle while going 150 km/h got one of them. Her vehicle had a child in the back seat. The fine for this offence is $172.
• Fifteen tickets were issued to drivers who failed to wear seatbelts, were speeding over 140 km/hr, following other vehicles too closely, or found with equipment violations.
The RCMP/ Alberta Sheriffs want to remind all drivers that operating a motor vehicle requires full attention.