April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Nationally, distracted driving is the second biggest cause of traffic deaths in Canada. Inattentiveness behind the wheel accounts for 80% of collisions and 65% of near-crashes. One person is injured in a distracted driving collision every half an hour. In 2021, over 1,700 Canadians lost their lives in fatal collisions and distracted driving was responsible for
340 of these deaths.
Distracted driving puts all road users at risk, including pedestrians and cyclists. Distracted driving happens when a driver’s attention is taken away from the driving task because they’re focused on something else. This could be:
- Texting
- Talking on the phone or to passengers
- Eating or drinking
- Using the entertainment or navigation system
The risk of collision goes up when a driver’s eyes and attention are taken off the road. Distraction impairs performance and reduces driver awareness. It makes drivers slower to notice and less able to safely respond to critical events on the road, or they may miss them entirely.
Take action: help stop distracted driving
- Never text while driving.
- If you must send or receive a call or text, pull over to a safe location and park your car first.
- Avoid using any device that takes your attention away from the task of driving including vehicle navigation systems
- Keep your eyes on the road and safely control your vehicle at all times
- Encourage your friends and family to drive “distraction free”.
Until next month, stay safe!
