Starting Oct. 26, using hand-held devices while driving in Ontario will be illegal. (Canadian Press)

It will soon be illegal in Ontario to text or talk on a hand-held cellphone or any other device while driving.

The new law comes into effect on Oct. 26.

The province's Ministry of Transport pushed for the ban citing statistics that showed driver distraction is a factor in 20 per cent of traffic accidents.

The new law means drivers who use their fingers to dial cellphones or send text messages will be liable for a maximum fine of $500.

The province says it won't start handing out tickets until Feb. 1 — until then police will just be giving drivers a warning.

Toronto taxi driver Ravi Singh spends more than eight hours a day in his car.

He's been driving the streets of Toronto for more than a decade and has seen his share of drivers distracted by technology. He says its easy to tell which ones are holding a cellphones while driving.

"Every time a person is trying to make a left with no signal, you know, that person is on a cellphone," said Singh.

The hand-held ban means Singh will have to upgrade his own cellphone so it's compatible with hands-free technology, but he says he'll gladly do it in the name of safety.

"That's a pain in the neck, but you know what, you got to obey the law and the law is good. On the whole it's going to benefit everybody," he said.

For others, the change in the law has meant an increase in business — especially stores that sell hands-free devices.

Bill Edmonds, who sells electronics in downtown Toronto, says the Bluetooth system which operates by using voice commands, is a popular item.

Over the past month, he says, they've been flying off the shelves.

"It's just been insane the last three or four weeks," said Edmonds. "We were selling a lot before but now there is a sense of urgency, people are saying I have to have this, not I want this anymore."

Ontario now joins more than 50 countries and jurisdictions around the world that have banned cellphone use while driving — including Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

Similar legislation has been introduced in British Columbia.