Drivers in Kelowna and across the Okanagan region showed mixed results during March’s Occupant Restraint and Distracted Driving campaigns, with enforcement numbers suggesting little overall change from last year.
In Central B.C., which includes Kelowna, Kamloops, Merritt and surrounding communities, police issued 268 seatbelt and restraint tickets and 1,008 tickets for electronic device use in March 2026. That compares with 300 seatbelt tickets and 1,036 distracted driving tickets during the same period in 2025.
The figures suggest a modest improvement in both categories, though enforcement levels remain high across the region.
“When you consider staffing changes, different enforcement techniques, weather, and other factors, these numbers are essentially flat,” said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin of B.C. Highway Patrol. “Having said that, you can look around and see that too many people are still using their phones while driving. And why some people can’t bring themselves to use their seatbelt remains a mystery.”
Across B.C., totals were also largely unchanged, with 775 seatbelt and restraint tickets and 2,722 distracted driving tickets issued in March 2026, compared with 821 and 2,738 respectively in 2025.
While the Okanagan saw slight improvements, distracted driving remains a persistent concern. Central B.C.’s 1,008 electronic device tickets make it one of the higher-enforcement regions in the province, behind only the South Coast.
“Distracted driving is still one of the top three things that can kill you on B.C. roads, along with speed and impairment, and seatbelts are just such an easy way to save lives in collisions,” said McLaughlin. “As long as they continue to be problems, we will continue to educate through enforcement.”
