Cell Phones and Driving

In Canada, there are around 17,000,000 cell phones thats one for every two Canadians! And as we spend more time in our vehicles, it seems that we also spend more time on our cell phones while were driving.

Many of us treat driving as down time that can be made more productive. But cell phone use is a significant driver distraction that can take your hands and your mind away from the complex task of driving. And that can have disastrous consequences.

New drivers, who dont have as much experience, are at even greater risk if they use cell phones while driving.

Hands-free phones are not the answer

Research shows that the use of a cell phone while driving does increase a drivers risk of crashing. It also shows that the risk not only comes from physically handling or looking at the phone, but also from thinking about the conversation. And stressful or emotional conversations are even more distracting which means they put the driver at even greater risk.

In fact, studies show that there is virtually no difference in the level of distraction between talking with the phone to your ear and talking on a hands-free phone. So, while hands-free phones free a driver from the task of physically operating the phone, they dont reduce the drivers need to think about the conversation, putting the driver at increased risk.

What can you do?

The simple answer is to turn your cell phone off while driving. If a call is important, it deserves your full attention.

To make or receive calls:

  1. pull over and stop when safe to do so
  2. ask a passenger to operate the phone
  3. use voice mail and call back later
  4. let someone else drive, freeing you up to make and receive calls
  5. be a good role model for your children remember they are watching you and learning

What is our position on cell phone use while driving?

BCAA and the Traffic Safety Foundation support a ban on cell-phone use as part of the Graduated Licensing Program for new drivers. This would remove one potential distraction from the highest risk segment of our driving population, and is consistent with other Graduated Licensing restrictions such as limiting the number of passengers.

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