The
Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) on Tuesday addressed the problem of distracted driving by sharing startling industry data—all part of an effort to encourage motorists to keep their full attention on the road ahead of them.
In particular, the IBC has warned against the use of mobile devices while driving.
“If we’re in a vehicle where somebody is using their mobile device and texting and calling… tell them to put it down,” IBC vice president Amanda Dean told
Information Morning Fredericton. “It’s not worth it… the danger they are putting you, themselves and other road users in.”
CBC News reported that an estimated 80% of motor vehicle collisions involve distracted driving.
Dean noted that while there are many things that can keep a driver from focusing on the road, the most prevalent cause of distraction is the use of mobile devices. Citing data, she said that motorists sending a text message while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in a collision.
With so many distracted driving-related collision claims being made, Dean explained that insurers are taking the situation very seriously—so seriously, that some insurance companies are treating motorists with distracted driving offences similarly to those charged for impaired driving for purposes of calculating premiums.
The vice president of the IBC also detailed that traffic-related collisions have resulted in healthcare and loss of productivity costs of up to $10 billion each year.
Quoting statistics from the Fredericton Police Department,
CBC News said that 130 tickets have been issued this year for distracted driving between June 01 and Sept 01 - 25 more tickets than for the same time period last year.
Dean recognized the work police have done in an effort to enforce driving laws and curb distracted driving. She noted that when an officer arrives at a collision scene, one of the first things the officer checks for is whether a mobile device was a factor in the incident. At the same time, Dean admitted the difficulties in prohibiting smartphone use while behind the wheel.
“It’s just one of those things. It’s everywhere,” she said.
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