We all know that we shouldn’t do it, but at one point or another most of us are guilty of using our cellphones while driving. Although there is a complete, legal ban on the use of cellphones while operating a motor vehicle in Ontario, the threat of a fine does not appear to be enough to discourage drivers – in Ontario and across the nation – from engaging in this risky behaviour.
In her recent Globe and Mail article, Jessica Leeder reports that “distraction – caused by texting, smartphones and other forces that draw drivers’ attention off the road – is eclipsing impaired driving as the leading cause of crashes and fatalities in many jurisdictions across Canada and the United States.”
“With the proliferation of technology, it’s hard to say what … this is going to lead to,” said Nova Scotia RCMP Constable Mark Skinner. “We know it’s a problem already. Will the problem continue to get worse?”
Although drivers of all ages are guilty of engaging in this behaviour, teens are reportedly the highest risk group. A 2013 study commissioned by the Ford Motor Co. of Canada reported the following alarming statistics:
- 93 per cent of teens admitted to distracted driving;
- 72 per cent admitted to using hand-held technology, such as texting, while behind the wheel; and,
- 37 per cent admitted to e-mailing while their vehicle was in motion
To read the entire Globe and Mail article, please click here.