Toronto driver busted for taking a Zoom call while going 100 km/h on the Gardiner

Many Toronto residents have gotten more than a little used to spending most of their time on Zoom throughout the past year, but one would think it'd be a given that those calls should be taken while sitting at home in a half-blazer half-sweatpant outfit — not while operating a dangerous vehicle.

Unfortunately, one Toronto driver clearly didn't get the memo.

Toronto police pulled over a motorist for using their phone while driving on the Gardiner Expressway Thursday, and soon discovered that the person was actually using their cell phone to participate in a Zoom conference call while travelling at 100 km/h.

"Zoom meetings are a reality. Just don't do them when driving," wrote police on Twitter following the incident, along with the hashtags "#Brutal" and "#BadChoice."

#VZET - Zoom meetings are a reality. Just don’t do them when driving. Unbelievably today on the Gardner Expressway a driver was stopped for using their phone. The driver was on a zoom conference call when doing 100km/h on the highway. #Brutal #BadChoice ^bm @DropItAndDrive pic.twitter.com/EZvMsv4Rjz

— TPS Traffic Services (@TrafficServices) May 6, 2021

While police didn't specify the consequences for this specific driver, distracted driving charges in Ontario can lead to a fine of $615 if settled out of court, a fine of up to $1,000 if a summons is received, or, if the driver fights the ticket in court and loses, three demerit points and a three-day suspension.

And that's only for the first conviction. 

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents, injuries, and deaths on the province's roadways, and deaths from collisions caused by distracted driving have doubled in Ontario since 2000.

So while answering that work Zoom call may seem like it simply can't wait, there really is never an excuse to pick up your phone and use it while driving.