March is Distracted Driving Month

Distracted driving We all play a part in making our roads safe — when you’re behind the wheel, focus on the road. If everyone in B.C. avoided distractions while driving, around 79 lives could be saved every year. We can make our roads safer together.

If you’re looking at your phone, you can’t see the road

Anything that takes your attention away from driving can contribute to distracted driving. Even when stopped, checking an electronic device affects your focus. You’re 3.6 times more likely to crash if you’re using your hand-held phone.

Plan ahead to keep your focus on the road

Turn off your phone or notifications. Consider turning on “silent mode” or “do not disturb” when you first get into the car.

Keep your phone out of sight and out of mind. Put it in a closed glove box or centre console before you start driving.
Know where to go before you drive. Program your GPS before you start driving and pull over if you need to update directions.
Driving will always require your full attention, so set yourself up for zero distractions before you start driving.
Set realistic travel times and be mindful of rush hours and delays.

#LeaveYourPhoneAlone #EyesFwdBC

Rules of the road

Don’t use your cellphone at a red light. The law applies even when you’re stopped at a red light or in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Keep your hands free. Hands-free means a Bluetooth, wired headset or speakerphone that can be operated with one touch or voice commands.
If you have a Learner’s (L) or Novice (N) licence, you aren’t allowed to use any electronic devices (like phone or GPS) behind the wheel, for any purpose, even in hands-free mode.
Know the law on how to use electronic devices while driving.

The cost of distracted driving

Every ticket for distracted driving includes a fine of $368 and four driver penalty points.

If you have four or more points on your driving record at the end of a 12-month period, you pay a driver penalty point (DPP) premium. You may also have to pay a driver risk premium if you get more than one distracted driving ticket in a three-year period.

Distractions hurt longer than you think

A 2014 study from the Louisiana Transportation Research Center, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the University of Alabama in Huntsville found that texting impacted driving ability for 3.35 seconds after the texting was over (Thapa, Codjoe & Ishak). This means distractions keep distracting you even after you think you’ve dealt with them. For example, people at a red light or stuck in heavy traffic might keep an eye on the light or the next car while doing something else. But even after the light turns green or the next car inches forward and they put away the distraction, their focus still won’t fully return until several seconds later. When at an intersection or surrounded by other frustrated drivers, those several seconds are more than enough to cause a crash.

Remember that when you’re at a red light or stuck in heavy traffic, you’re still driving and must still be aware of what’s going on around you. Even if you know where the other vehicles are, you’re less likely to see pedestrians and cyclists when distracted by your phone or in-dash screens. If your phone has a habit of buzzing or ringing while you’re driving, set it to Do Not Disturb mode and put it away.

Distracted driving has become such a problem in BC that it’s now at least as deadly as driving while impaired**. That’s why in the month of March, BC Highway Patrol is focusing on education through enforcement regarding the double dangers of driving while distracted and failing to wear your seat belt (also known as occupant restraint).

A BC Highway Patrol officer doing enforcement. March is Distracted Driving and Occupant Restraint month

View a higher-resolution photo

Distracted driving, along with speeding and impaired driving, is consistently one of the top three contributors to fatal crashes in BC, says Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. We often hear drivers ask for a warning. Distracted driving is so risky that your warning will be a violation ticket. The real consequences would be to get hurt or worse.

While distraction from electronic devices is relatively recent, BC Highway Patrol still finds a surprising number of people who are not using seat belts even though restraints have been mandatory since 1977.

The evidence is clear: If you do not wear your seatbelt, a totally survivable collision will often become fatal, says Corporal McLaughlin, and while securing your child with a car seat requires a little planning, your child’s life is worth it.

An average of 53 people are dying every year in BC because they were not wearing seat belts properly. The BC Motor Vehicle Act says that you must wear your seatbelt properly with the shoulder belt across your chest (not under your arm), and the lap belt across your pelvic bones. Children under the age of nine must be secured in appropriate car seats or booster seats depending on their age and size.

For more information about car seats, seatbelts and distracted driving, check www.icbc.com.

**All statistics are according to ICBC collision data collected between 2014 and 2023.

Released by:

Cpl. Michael McLaughlin
Media Relations Officer
BC Highway Patrol
14200 Green Timbers Way, Surrey, BC V3T 6P3
Office: 778-290-5844