9,500 drivers are using smartphones while driving at any given moment in BC. 3,800 drivers are texting and driving. Distracted driving causes 88 deaths each year in BC.
According to an online survey published on Cars.com, 63% of teens said their parents text while driving and 82% of teens said they learn how to drive by copying their parents.
- 9 % of teens say their parents text and drive multiple times per day;
- 9 % of teens say their parents text and drive once per day; and
- 18 % of teens say their parents text and drive occasionally.
BC’s Justice Minister Suzanne Anton says the goal is to make BC’s roads the safest in North America but according to CBC, critics say upcoming changes to BC’s distracted driving laws are too weak and are taking too long.
We all know texting and driving is not only dangerous but also illegal. We know that texting dramatically increases the risk of an accident but we fool ourselves into thinking, “It’s only for a moment. It won’t happen to me”.
BC banned the use of hand-held electronic devices in 2010. You’ll be fined $167 and three penalty points if you’re caught breaking the law.
Parents. Put down your smartphone while driving and tell your teenagers to stay focused on the road. Ignoring that text message or phone call might save a life.
For more information
- Study: Teen Report 60% of Parents Text While Driving, Cars.com
- Distracted Driving Not High Enough on BC Agenda, Complain Critics, CBC
- Saving Lives on BC Roads, Ministry of Justice
