April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month – a time to bring awareness to the most dangerous threat to drivers and pedestrians on our roadways. In fact, it is now the number one killer on our roads today – surpassing
drinking and driving and other dangerous driving habits.
Even with the
increased fines in Ontario for distracted driving, drivers are still choosing to drive while distracted and put themselves and others at risk.
All it takes is for a driver to be distracted for a second, and bad things could happen. You could lose control of your vehicle, fail to make a sudden stop, or fail to see another vehicle or pedestrian.
“Good drivers keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road. Research shows that drivers who use cell phones are
four times more likely to be in a collision than drivers who focus on the road. And when drivers take their eyes off the road for more than two seconds,
their crash risk doubles,” says the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.
How Dangerous is Distracted Driving? Some Very Telling Stats
CAA has compiled some very important stats about the impact of distracted driving:
1. Phones are the most common form of distraction – drivers who text and drive are 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident
2. 80% of collisions are a result of some form of distracted driving
3. Distracted drivers are three times more likely to be in an accident than attentive drivers
4. Distracted driving is a factor in approximately 4 million accidents in North America annually
10 Tips to Prevent Distracted Driving
Preventing distracted driving starts with you. Each driver needs to make a conscious decision to NOT drive while distracted. If every driver made the pledge to stop driving while distracted, we could make roadways safer for everyone, reduce accidents, and reduce injuries and fatalities that could have otherwise been avoided.
Here are some tips to help stop distracted driving once and for all:
1. Make a conscious effort to eliminate distractions
2. Put your phone out of reach when you get behind the wheel
3. Review maps and directions, and enter them into your GPS before you start driving
4. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination
5. Secure children and ensure they have everything you need while driving
6. Secure pets before driving
7. Avoid eating and drinking while driving
8. Pre-set your radio and climate controls
9. Make sure you get a good night’s rest before driving long distances
10. Allow incoming calls to go to voicemail – if you need to check your email or text, pull over to a safe location
Distracted driving is also a factor in the cost of auto insurance rates. If you are not satisfied with your current car insurance rates,
contact me – an experienced
car insurance broker in Toronto. I can help you shop and save on your car insurance rates.
Read More
Ontario Auto Insurance Update: Snow Tire Discount, Aviva’s Uber Policy, and Government Falls Short of 15% Rate Cut