New numbers from BC Highway Patrol suggest drivers still have lessons to learn following March’s Occupant Restraint and Distracted Driving campaign.

Police say overall enforcement totals in March 2026 were slightly lower than the same month last year, but the difference is small enough that driving behaviour appears largely unchanged.

Corporal Michael McLaughlin says factors like staffing levels, enforcement techniques and weather can influence the numbers, but adds it’s still clear too many drivers are using phones behind the wheel and not wearing seatbelts.

On Vancouver Island, officers issued 89 seatbelt tickets in March, compared to 61 during the same period last year.

Police also handed out 241 tickets for electronic device use, down from 276 in March 2025.

Provincewide, BC Highway Patrol issued 775 seatbelt tickets and 821 electronic device tickets during the campaign.

Police say distracted driving remains one of the top three contributors to fatal crashes in B.C., along with speed and impairment.

Officers also stress that wearing a seatbelt remains one of the simplest ways to reduce the risk of serious injury or death in a collision.

BC Highway Patrol says enforcement and education efforts will continue as long as distracted driving and seatbelt violations remain a concern.

To learn more, visit B.C. RCMP.