Driven to Distraction

A single mother was driving with her young son north of Toronto on Canal Road in the Holland Marsh one night a few years back. It was a cloudy and starless sky. She was on the phone. In a matter of seconds she lost control, went into the canal flowing through the marsh, and she and her son both drowned. It didn’t have to happen.

Tragic personal stories like this illuminate faceless but impressive statistics. In its 2009 Ontario Road Safety Annual Report (latest available),the Ontario Ministry of Transportation reported 79 people died in collisions caused by driver inattention in that year. There were 11,771 personal injuries and more than 25,000 collisions involving property damage.

Cell phone use is, of course, only one distraction, and, some have recently argued, one of the lesser ones in terms of frequency. But in the case of the woman and her son in the Holland Marsh, it was the fatal one.

Perceptions of Distracted Driving

According to a CAA study, distracted driving in Canada recently surpassed impaired driving as the number one road safety concern among Canadians.

Consider these facts.

• Nearly 80% of collisions and 65% of near-collisions involved some form of driver inattention up to three seconds prior to the event. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2010)

• A driver is 23 times more likely to be involved in a collision if texting while driving and 4 times more likely to be involved in a collision if talking on a cell phone (hand-held or hands-free) while driving. (U.S. Department of Transportation, 2009)

• When distracted while driving, you may fail to see up to 50% of the available information in your driving environment. You may look but not actually “see” what is happening (Strayer, 2007)

But despite the dangers, there continues to be considerable non-compliance with bans on cell phone and texting while driving.

The OPP and other police authorities across Canada conduct blitzes regularly and a standard theme in feedback from them and author police authorities is that “people don’t seem to be getting the message.” To drive home just how serious authorities consider distracted driving to be, the OPP has made it the fourth element in their “big four,” which also includes aggressive driving, failure to use restraint devices and driving while impaired.

Distracted driving can also result in a criminal charge under the Criminal Code of Canada (section 249) or under local traffic laws. As well, many employers have policies banning the use of communication devices while driving. More information on provincial legislation related to distracted driving visit the Transport Canada’s website at www.tc.gc.ca under distracted driving legislation. Keep in mind legislation changes frequently.

IBC’s Position

While supporting legislation on distracted driving, IBC believes in long-term public education as the core element necessary to get collisions from distracted driving down.

And so IBC used, in addition to website and brochure materials, the DUMB Car (Distractions Undermining Motorist Behaviour) – a driving simulator that shows in an entertaining way how severely distractions can impair your driving.

The car was part of the Be Smart. Be Safe. Tour, an award-winning community outreach program designed to deliver important messages directly to the public on road safety, injury prevention and more.

The car traveled to various community fairs and festivals across Canada in a large trailer that also housed a number of other interactive safety exhibits.

Introduced in 2007 it taught thousands of people_ in schools, in universities, with service groups and at special events across Canada about the dangers of distracted driving. In 2009, IBC introduced the upgraded DUMB Car 2.0, which addressed a broader range of road safety issues.

The DUMB Car 2.0 tests drivers’ reactions to a variety of scenarios. The simulator features an actual-size driver’s seat, gas pedal and brake, steering wheel, dashboard and wide video screen.

Drivers see how well they can handle the vehicle while:

• Driving in adverse weather

• Avoiding road hazards

• Identifying point-of-no-return at traffic lights

• Handling distractions

Novice Drivers and Distraction

Solid research guides our industry’s road safety initiatives. With that imperative in mind IBC commissioned Human Factors North to conduct a driver distraction study, involving novice and experienced drivers. It was a two-part study, involving a driving simulator in a university lab and on-road courses.

While the study found that cell phone use is a problem for all drivers, the driving of novices was poorer than the driving of experienced drivers. Novices took longer to perceive hazards developing, and did not take the cautious approach of experienced drivers and slow down when they are on the phone. As a proponent of graduated licensing programs across Canada, IBC believes the study showed support for changes to licensing.

The Bottom Line

Distracted driving is a major problem in this country. Cell phones only constitute one form of distraction. There are MP3 players, GPS systems, radios and CDs. Not to mention eating, putting on make-up and consulting a map. And although banning cell phone use while driving is a fine start, changing societal perceptions is even more critical. Just as the work is continuous to make drinking and driving taboo, it’s now time to make distracted driving, in all its forms, socially unacceptable as well. It is up to everyone to avoid distractions while driving.

IBC and the insurance industry have a long history of working with provincial governments and safety organizations to make communities safer for everyone. From seatbelt legislation and anti-drinking-and-driving campaigns to graduated licensing, Canada’s home, auto and business insurers have always been at the forefront of safety.

When it comes to distracted driving, the stick needs to combine with the carrot to achieve sustainable results. Education needs to help legislation work more effectively.

For more on distracted driving please go to the Insurance Bureau of Canada website under car insurance and click on road safety.

James Geuzebroek is vice-president, communications, Insurance Bureau of Canada.