Distracted driving remains the third leading cause of fatal car crashes in B.C., trailing behind speed and impaired driving.
On average, 91 people are killed each year in B.C. due to driver distractions, such as using a hand-held electronic device behind the wheel.
That’s why the B.C. government, RCMP and ICBC have launched a month-long distracted driving campaign and are asking drivers to leave the phone alone and stay focused on the road.
“A phone call or text can wait for you to reach your destination or find a safe place to pull over,” said Suzanne Anton, Attorney General and Minister of Justice. “It is simply not worth the risk of causing a crash and causing serious injury or worse to yourself or someone else on the road. Police across B.C. are doing their part to change this dangerous behaviour by ticketing drivers and enforcing the law. That means if you’re caught talking or texting on your cell while driving, you could face a $167 fine and three penalty points.”
Drivers are four times more likely to crash when talking on a hand-held phone and 23 times more likely to get in a crash if they text behind the wheel. Police are stepping up enforcement across the province and will be out in full-force checking for distracted drivers throughout February.
“Every day police across the province encounter drivers using hand-held devices behind the wheel and based on their excuses, they just don’t get it,” said Chief Officer Neil Dubord, Chair of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police Traffic Safety Committee.
Texting behind the wheel takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. At 50 km/hour, that is equivalent to driving 64 meters blind – more than the length of a professional-size hockey rink.
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