Truck driver on phone sentenced to jail to “deter inattentive behavior,” judge says

A truck driver has been sentenced to jail to “deter inattentive behavior” by other commercial drivers, says the sentencing judge. 

30-year-old Lovepreet Singh crashed into a sedan while on the phone on September 23rd, 2022 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He was sentenced to jail for nine months this week. 

According to CTV News, Singh collided with a sedan on eastbound Highway 401 near Belle River Road. Police discovered that he had received a text message less than 30 seconds before the collision. Investigators believe he was distracted by his phone at the time of the crash. 

The force of the collision “collapsed” the rear of the vehicle and caused it to catch fire. Singh was burned attempting to rescue the two people inside of the car, but they died in the incident. 

The judge determined that Singh had a high level of remorse for the incident, and had a high chance of rehabilitation after the mistake. Despite these positive attributes, the judge chose to use Singh as an example by sentencing him to nine months in prison. Singh will also be unable to drive for four years after his release. 

“I am hopeful that this will deter inattentive behavior by other professional drivers,” the judge said. “Driving remains a privilege. Not a right,” the judge stated.