At this point, it’s not even a big surprise.
According to ICBC, distracted driving is claiming for lives on B.C. roads than impaired driving.
On average, 78 people per year are killed due to distracted driving, despite tougher penalties, increased police enforcement and ongoing public education.
In comparison, an average of 66 people are killed in B.C. each year due to impaired driving.
"Distracted driving is entirely preventable, as are the crashes and casualties caused by the behaviour,” said Attorney General, David Eby. “To address this issue, our government is moving forward with a pilot program of new technologies to eliminate distracted driving among high-risk groups.”
In a recent Ipsos Reid study conducted for ICBC, almost all respondents said it was extremely risky to use a handheld device while driving, but 38% of them admitted to doing it anyways.
In September, police across B.C. will be ramping up distracted driving enforcement and a new advertising campaign will run through T.V., radio and social media starting on September 8th.
"The law is clear: you must leave your phone alone when operating a vehicle," said Davis Wendell from the OIC E Division Traffic Services. "Police will be out in full force this month reminding you to put your phone away when you're behind the wheel.”
Free ‘not while driving’ decals are available at ICBC driver licensing officers and participating Autoplan broker officers for drivers who want to help get the message across.
