Apna News Brief
Yes, a laptop is an electronic device. A 52-year-old West Kelowna woman is facing a $368 fine after a BC Highway Patrol officer allegedly observed her driving in Vernon with an open laptop on her lap.
The stop came on Thursday, November 5, 2026, just after 4:30 p.m., on Highway 97 (32 Street) in Vernon, during a BC Highway Patrol distracted driving operation. The driver of the blue Honda Pilot was issued a ticket for use of an electronic device while driving, under section 214.2(1) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act, a $368 fine.
“Driving is a complex task that requires your complete attention to deal with the unexpected,” said 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.”
McLaughlin said 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. “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,” he said.
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.
(Source: BC Highway Patrol, November 13, 2026)
