Eyes on the road – leave your phone alone

Kamloops City

2021-03-10 11:37 PST

As March Break lets out and children head outside to keep busy, drivers are reminded to keep their eyes on the road – not on other distractions.

March is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and to help keep communities safe, police across the province will be conducting intensified enforcement and education, and checking for drivers whose attention may not always be on the road.

Every driver out there owes it to each other and to our communities to help keep our roadways safe, said Sandro Piroddi, Kamloops Community Services Support Liaison. One of the easiest ways to be responsible on the roadway is by giving it your full attention.

While using an electronic device is one of the offences that falls under distracted driving, eating, drinking, personal grooming, reading, pets, and passengers can distract drivers from the road and lead to a ticket -- or worse.

Distracted driving is responsible for more than 25 per cent of all car crash fatalities and is the second leading cause of fatal collisions in the province. Every year, an average of 78 people are killed from fatal motor vehicle collisions in BC because the driver was distracted or not paying attention – 31 of those deaths are in the southern interior.

In Kamloops this month, motorists can expect to see distracted driving signs, check stops, warning letters, and ticketing as reminders of the importance of keeping their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

The RCMP Crime Prevention Unit will also be conducting speed and cellphone watch programs in neighbourhoods across the city, as well as an awareness campaign to remind drivers to leave their phone alone.

If you’d like to be part of the solution and help prevent crime in your neighbourhood, contact us to find out how to join our team of volunteers, said Mr. Piroddi. He added those interested in helping can contact the Kamloops RCMP Community Policing office at 250-376-5099 and ask to speak to a Community Services Support Liaison.

For more tips and information on laws surrounding distracting driving, visit the RCMP’s website

ICBC Fast facts

• • Even short glances away from the road increases your risk of crashing. Leave your phone alone while driving.
• • Almost all drivers (95 per cent) believe texting while driving is risky, yet 38 per cent admit they still use their phone at least one out of every 10 trips.

Tips for drivers

• • Make sure you have everything you need before hitting the road. Reaching for objects on the floor, in the glove box, or the back seat takes your eyes off the road and could lead to a crash.
• • If you find it difficult to leave your phone alone while driving, turn it to silent and keep it out of reach and out of sight. Turn on Do Not Disturb While Driving features that will send automatic replies to incoming texts and route incoming calls to voicemail.
• • Even when stopped at a light or in heavy traffic, you’re still driving, and need to be aware of what’s going on around you. You’re less likely to see pedestrians and cyclists when you’re looking at your phone or in-dash screens.

Statistics

• • Distracted and inattentive driving is responsible for more than one quarter (27 per cent) of all car crash fatalities in B.C.
• • Distracted and inattentive driving is the second leading contributing factor in car crash fatalities in B.C., and on average results in 78 deaths each year. Speed is the first.
• • Every year, on average, 25 people are killed in distracted driving-related crashes in the Lower Mainland.
• • Every year, on average, 31 people are killed in distracted driving-related crashes in the Southern Interior.

Released by

Cst. Crystal Evelyn
Media Relations Officer
Kamloops RCMP
kamloops.rcmp-grc.gc.ca
560 Battle Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 6N4
Office: 250-828-3000
Fax: 250-828-3034
Email: Crystal.Evelyn@rcmp-grc.gc.ca 
 

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