#EyesFwdBC!
It’s distracted driving campaign time. ICBC tells us that distracted
driving is responsible for 26% of collision fatalities in B.C. each
year. On average, 76 people die each year in a crash where distracted
driving is a contributing factor.
Every year, on average, according to police reported data from 2014 to 2018:
26 people are killed in distracted driving-related crashes in the Lower Mainland.
9 people are killed in distracted driving-related crashes on Vancouver Island.
29 people are killed in distracted driving-related crashes in the Southern Interior.
12 people are killed in distracted driving-related crashes in the North Central region.
Let’s not forget that distracted driving is not something that is always
connected with the use of an electronic device by the driver either.
There are many other sources of distraction that take a driver’s
attention away from the task of driving. Anything
that takes your hands off the wheel or your mind off of the task can be
distracting as well.
The B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police (BCACP) have a stake in this
as well. Chief Constable Neil Dubord is the chair of the BCACP Traffic
Safety Committee and he contributes the following advice:
“Distracted driving continues to be a serious issue in our province –
it’s the number one cause of crashes. Police officers see distracted
drivers on the roads in every community. We are stepping up efforts
making sure people leave their phones alone while
driving.”
To round out the message, remember that your first ticket for improper
use of an electronic device while driving will cost you a $368 fine and
$252 for the four penalty points. Do it again within one year (about
1,335 of us do) and you are looking at a bill
for just over $2,500.
I often wonder whether these campaigns get through to the people that
they are aimed at. According to the Traffic Injury Research Foundation
they do make a difference:
reduced the number of road incidents by approximately 9%
increased seatbelt use by 25%
reduced speeding by 16%
increased yielding behaviour by 37%
increased risk comprehension by about 16%
However, they must be coupled with legislation, enforcement and education, which our government and ICBC tries to do.
There is also some indication that local, personally directed campaigns
that show by far the biggest effect on road accidents. So, thank you for
reading this. Hopefully you take something away from doing so that
results in the reduction of your crash risk.
Story URL: https://www.drivesmartbc.ca/distracted-driving/spring-distracted-driving-campaign
—
Constable Tim Schewe (Retired)
DriveSmartBC: Where better than average road users satisfy their curiosity.