Yes, a laptop is an electronic device. BC Highway Patrol issues more tickets for distracted driving

November 13, 2026 - Vernon, British Columbia
From: BC Highway Patrol

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A 52-year-old West Kelowna woman is facing a $368.00 fine for allegedly driving while using her laptop during a recent BC Highway Patrol distracted driving operation in Vernon.

The notable stop came on November 5, 2026, just after 4:30 p.m., when a BC Highway Patrol officer observed a blue Honda Pilot whose driver had an open laptop on her lap on Highway #97 (32 Street) in Vernon, BC.

“Driving is a complex task that requires your complete attention to deal with the unexpected,” says 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.”

The driver of the blue Honda was issued a ticket for:

• Use electronic device while driving, section 214.2(1) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act ($368).

“Prescribed electronic devices in the BC Motor Vehicle Act include televisions, electronic logging devices, and any hand-held device that can process or compute data,” says Sergeant McLaughlin. “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.”

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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