Constable Kevin Bowes of the Regina Police Service said as many as 30 to 40 per cent of the drivers his service stops have a cellphone between their legs. (Weyburn Police/Twitter)

What’s legal? Saskatoon and Regina police explain Saskatchewan’s cellphone distracted driving rules

By Marija Robinson Aug 6, 2026 | 2:20 PM

Distracted driving is one of the leading factors in collisions in Saskatoon and Regina, but with many vehicles now equipped to pair with cellphones, what’s allowed –and what’s not –can get confusing.

To help clear up the grey area, two police officers, whose jobs revolve around traffic safety, joined the Evan Bray Show Thursday.

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For background, between 2020 and 2024, distracted driving was a factor in 11 per cent of serious car collisions in Saskatoon, making it the fourth most common factor.

Likewise, during that same period, 11.8 per cent of serious car collisions in Regina involved distracted driving, making it the third most common factor in the Queen City.

According to SGI’s vice-president of traffic safety services, Kwei Quaye, a distraction can include eating, talking, or reaching into the back seat. Often though, it’s associated with cellphone use.

Constable Kevin Bowes on the Combined Traffic Safety Services Unit with the Regina Police Service said as many as 30 to 40 per cent of the people his service stops have a cellphone between their legs.

The problem, Bowes said, is that whenever the phone vibrates or sounds a notification, drivers often glance down at the screen instead of the road, making it an illegal distraction.

That rule even applies when you’re at a red light. Even though you’re stopped, Bowes said, it doesn’t mean you can pick up your phone, because you’re still in a driving lane.

Just having one beside you, though, isn’t inherently an issue.

Typically officers won’t issue a ticket simply because your phone lights up, Bowes said.

“They would have to see your head turning. They would have to see some driving action, weaving in the lane, slowing down, something that would indicate that you’re actually engaged with that screen,” he said.

Although texting while driving, or reading a message, is an obvious example of being distracted behind the wheel, using a cell phone as a GPS can also pose a problem.

In comparison to a dedicated GPS device, the messages that come through on a phone can cause people to shift their attention.

“That’s a big differentiation,” Bowes said.

Ray Robertson with the Saskatoon Police Service’s traffic unit said if a car doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or Bluetooth, the best option is to plug in your destination and then put the phone out of view, such as into the centre console before you start driving.

That way, all you’re listening to are the voice prompts.

“That’s perfectly legal in that aspect,” Robertson said.