Can’t see the forest for the trees when out and about with your cell phone? Imagine how difficult it is to remain attentive when you use it behind the wheel.
Bevan Insurance wants you and all others on Barrie roads to be safe and arrive at your destination unharmed. One of the best ways in which you can remain secure is to avoid using your cell phone while driving.
Distracted driving is potentially as dangerous as drunk driving and unfortunately is much more common, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. More specifically, 80% of collisions and 65% of near-collisions involved some form of driver inattention up to three seconds before the event. Drivers are 23 times more likely to be involved in a collision if they are texting while driving, a serious concern as a cause of distracted driving.
The RCMP defines distracted driving as a form of impaired driving, as a driver’s judgement is compromised when they are not fully focused on the road. This can lead to: reduced reaction time and impaired judgement which can result in motor vehicle collisions. Cell phone use is the number one cause of distracted driving among young adults.
The Government of Ontario has reported that deaths from collisions caused by distracted driving in Ontario have doubled since the year 2000. They add that a driver using a phone is 4 times more likely to crash than a driver focusing on the road, this includes the use of hands-free options. If you are caught with a cell phone, different penalties based on your specific distracted driving circumstances could result in suspension of your license, fines and demerit points issued. You could also face more charges such as careless driving if you endanger others because of distraction or worse, dangerous driving, a criminal offence which carries heavier penalties including possible jail time.
Victoria K Lee of Canadian Family Physician has taken great interest in the use of phones while driving in her article ‘Fatal Distraction’. Lee makes the point that the pressure to stay connected means cell phone use while driving is a growing problem. Despite most drivers viewing cell phone use while on the road as unacceptable, many of them still engage in the practice.
It is best to avoid this risk altogether and put your phone down. Be sure to focus on the road and pull over if you need to make that important phone call or reply to that text message.
We must all do our part to ensure we drive safely, working to prevent accident and injury, or worse: death.
Need advice? Looking to shop around for your Car Insurance needs? Our expert brokers can help. Give us a call now at 705-726-3381 [or 1-800-667-9810 outside of Barrie] to talk about your Auto Insurance. You can also find out more by checking out our website https://www.dgbevan.com/personal-insurance/auto-car-insurance/. Why not get a free quote on car insurance? See how we compare.
This article includes information which is copied from official works and was not produced in affiliation with, or with the endorsement of any source utilized.
Read more from the RCMP, including strategies to avoid using mobile phones while driving at www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cycp-cpcj/dd-dv/index-eng.htm and follow them on Twitter @rcmpgrcpolice.
Learn more from the Government of Ontario regarding this topic at https://www.ontario.ca/page/distracted-driving.
Lee’s entire article can be found through the Canadian Family Physician site at www.cfp.ca/content/59/7/723.full. Follow them on Twitter @CanFamPhysician.
