File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Aaron Schulze

Tickets, Please

Drivers in Kamloops area issued most tickets for seatbelt and cellphone infractions in B.C.

Oct 15, 2025 | 9:36 AM

KAMLOOPS — Drivers in Kamloops and area have been more prone to forgetting to buckle up and putting their phone down while behind the wheel.

New numbers released by BC Highway Patrol Wednesday (Oct. 15) show 1,190 tickets were issued during the department’s Distracted Driving and Occupant Restraint Month in September for failing to wear a seatbelt and using an electronic device while driving.

According to Highway Patrol, drivers in the Central B.C. region – which includes Clearwater, Kamloops, Kelowna and Merritt – were issued 285 tickets for using an electronic device and 162 tickets for failing to wear a seatbelt. It’s the most of any region in the province.

The South Coast region – which includes Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valey and the Sea to Sky country – was in second place in both categories with 212 tickets for using an electronic device and 86 tickets for failing to wear a seatbelt.

“As we move into the Halloween season and the days get shorter, it’s even more important that you eliminate distractions behind the wheel,” Supt. Mike Coyle says. “Pedestrians are hard to see in the darkness and rain of fall. You need all of your attention to keep yourself, your loved ones and the people in your neighbourhood safe on the roads.”

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Drivers who are issued tickets for failing to wear a seatbelt and using an electronic device while driving face fines of $167 and $368 respectively per ticket.