A new survey by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia has found that, during at least one in 10 trips, 42% of BC drivers still use their phones while driving.
Distracted driving due to smartphone use continues to be a major issue in BC, despite most people knowing that phone use behind the wheel is very dangerous, the Ipsos survey commissioned by ICBC revealed. 93% of survey respondents believe it is “highly risky” to text while driving, while 84% believe it is “highly risky” to talk while holding a smartphone and driving.
According to ICBC, distracted driving accounts for over one in four fatal crashes each year. It is the second leading contributing factor in traffic fatalities in BC, just behind speeding and ahead of impaired driving. Distracted driving also, on average, factors in 76 deaths annually.
The release of ICBC’s new survey coincides with the insurer’s launch of a month-long campaign together with local police to urge drivers to leave their phones alone while behind the wheel. The Crown corporation also said that as part of the campaign, police are ramping up enforcement of distracted driving across BC, and that community volunteers are conducting “Cell Watch” deployments to remind drivers to keep their eyes on the road and off their phone screens.
