#LikeLife - Distracted Driving

​​Nearly 3 out of 4 Canadian drivers admit to driving distracted. You are 3.6 times more likely to crash if you use an electronic device while driving.¹​

IBC encourages Canadians to put down your cellphone and #likelife

What is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is one of the largest causes of collisions, injuries and deaths on Canada’s roads. It can take many forms – including texting, talking on the phone, eating and drinking and trying to program your GPS.²

The risk of collision increases when your eyes and attention are taken off the road. Distractions impair your driving performance and reduce your awareness. You may be slower to notice or less able to safely respond to critical events on the road.³

Top 10 Tips on How To Avoid Distractions While Driving

4 Reasons Why Driving While Distracted (DWD) May Be the New DUI

Distracted driving is potentially as dangerous as driving drunk and is much more common. If you drive while distracted, you should know these facts:

1. It takes only 3 seconds after a driver’s attention has been diverted for a crash to occur.⁴  
   
2. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 90 km/h, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.⁵
   
3. You are 23 times more likely to be involved in a collision if you text while driving and 4 times more likely if you talk on a cellphone (hand-held or hands-free) while driving.⁶
   
4. You may be breaking the law. All provinces in Canada, plus the Yukon and Northwest Territories, have bans in place on using hand-held cellphones and electronic devices while driving. Depending on the legislation, penalties can include hefty fines and, in many cases, demerit points.
   
   

Penalties for Distracted Driving Across Canada

The following CAA chart summarizes current distracted driving penalties and hand-held device legislation from across Canada.⁷

Sources:
¹Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 2019.
²CAA, 2021.
³Transport Canada, 2019.
^4,6Thinkinsure, 2020.
⁵National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
⁷CAA, 2021.

• The Cost of Distracted Driving: Josh's Story
• IBC encourages Canadians to put down your cellphone and #likelife