TELUS WISE Smartphone safety - distracted driving guide

Transcription

1 TELUS WISE Smartphone safety - distracted driving guide

2 Smartphone safety - distracted driving guide Welcome notes 3 1 What is distracted driving? 5 2 Did you know? 6 3 What should I consider about smartphones and distracted driving? 8 4 What are the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police s insights on distracted driving? 9 5 Policing distracted driving at a local level the Vancouver Police Department 12 6 What tips do Young Drivers of Canada have to share? Everything happens for a reason (Brad Gorski s story) 20 8 What are the distracted driving laws in Canada? 21 9 Resources 24

3 Welcome note from Andrea Goertz One of the amazing benefits of smartphones is that they keep us connected anywhere, anytime and at speeds higher than any road speed limit. Today s smartphones are more than 800 times faster than the computers aboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft when it landed on the moon in 1969, making the uses of our smartphones infinite. However, while there are tremendous opportunities, we must take advantage of them responsibly. At TELUS, we are passionate about putting our customers first, and this commitment goes far beyond customer service. Educating Canadians on how to keep their families and communities safer online, including the important topic of distracted driving, is something we take seriously. In fact, we take pride in having created this guide as part of our TELUS WISE program a unique educational program focused on Internet and smartphone safety that is available free-of-charge to all Canadians. Much of the information on distracted driving that informed our research and this guide was provided by our TELUS WISE partners, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, The Government of British Columbia and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. I would like to extend my gratitude for their contributions. Additionally, I d like to thank Brad Gorski for sharing his personal story about the realities of texting and driving. I hope you find this guide as valuable as I have in helping our families, friends and communities be safer online and on the road. Remember, hands on the wheel and eyes on the road when driving. If you have any questions please don t hesitate to contact us at wise@telus.com. Regards, Andrea Goertz Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, TELUS Corporation 3

4 Greetings from the Honourable Mike Morris Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Technology is a wonderful tool, it helps keep the world at our fingertips. But even technology has its place. When you re behind the wheel, the only place for your phone is out of reach and out of sight. Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of death on B.C. roads and each incident is 100% preventable. That s why earlier this year, the Province introduced some of the toughest penalties in the country. That text, that call or that like will now cost you $543 for a first time offence. That s a small price to pay when compared to the long-term consequences some B. C. families have been left with. We are proud to work with TELUS on this important education guide. In it, we explain the rules, break down the penalties and feature stories from British Columbians who have been impacted by distracted driving, people who have lived to share their stories and have fought long and hard to recover from their injuries. For your safety and the safety of all of those around you - I urge you to please leave your phone alone. Distracted driving will cost you one way or another. Ask yourself - what consequences are you willing to live with? Sincerely, Mike Morris Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General #leaveyourphonealone 4

5 1. What is distracted driving? The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) defines distracted driving as a form of impaired driving as a driver s judgment is compromised when they are not fully focused on the road. Distracted driving qualifies as talking on a cell phone, texting, reading (e.g. books, maps, and newspapers), using a GPS, watching videos or movies, eating/drinking, smoking, personal grooming, adjusting the radio/cd and playing extremely loud music. Even talking to passengers and driving while fatigued (mentally and/or physically) can be forms of distracted driving. Distracted driving can lead to: Reduced reaction time Impaired judgment Possibly falling asleep behind the wheel Injuring or killing yourself, your passengers and/or other people (Source: RCMP - Distracted Driving) A driver s judgment is compromised when they are not fully focused on the road 5

6 2. Did you know? Distracted driving the facts: According to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation A recent study shows that when drivers take their eyes off the road for more than two seconds their crash risk doubles. A driver using a cell phone is four times more likely to be in a crash than a driver focused on the road. In three seconds driving sixty kilometres per hour you travel fifty metres that s the distance across half a football field. A momentary distraction can result in death or serious injury. Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to cause injury. Drivers who are engaged in the following distractions are more likely to be in a crash or near crash event compared to someone who is watching the road while driving: Texting on a smartphone 23 times more likely Talking on a cellphone or smartphone 4 to 5 times more likely Reading 3 times more likely Applying makeup 3 times more likely Reaching for a moving object 9 times more likely Dialing on a hand-held device 3 times more likely Talking or listening on a hand-held device 1.3 times more likely (Source: 6

7 Additional sobering Canadian statistics The Ontario Provincial Police report that within its jurisdictions, the number of distracted driving-related fatalities in 2013 surpassed the number of impaired-related and speed-related fatalities respectively. In British Columbia distracted driving is a leading cause of car crash fatalities in the province. Police statistics show that about a quarter of all car crash fatalities in British Columbia in the last five years (2010 to 2014) were related to distracted driving. That s an average of 81 deaths per year, making distracted driving now the second-leading cause of motor vehicle fatalities in British Columbia, behind speeding (94) and narrowly ahead of impaired driving (78). (Source: ICBC) Driver distraction is a factor in per cent of fatal collisions involving teens. (Source: Young Drivers of Canada) Allstate s 2014 national distracted driving survey shows Canadians are still finding it difficult to put their phones away while driving. Here are some of the findings: 34% of Canadians admit to checking their phone while at a red light. Drivers 18 to 34 are likely 3 times more likely to send a text while at a red light. 36% of Canadian drivers admit to using their phone in stop-and-go traffic or a construction zone. Top three consequences that would stop Canadians from distracted driving: 37% injury to self or others 33% receiving a fine or a ticket 32% losing their licence 57% of study participants said they would be in favor of having a technology installed in their vehicle to prevent them from using their phone when the vehicle was running. (Source: Allstate Distracted Driving 2014 Survery Results) 7

8 3. What should I consider about smartphones and distracted driving? One of the most important steps is to plan ahead before getting into your vehicle. It is critical that you keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Here are a few smartphone tips to consider before even starting your vehicle 1. Before you turn your vehicle on pair your device (smartphone or cellphone) with your Bluetooth headset. If you are using a non-bluetooth headset please plug in the headset and use only 1 ear bud, keeping one ear free to hear surrounding noises. 2. Turn your smartphone off and have your calls go to voice mail, which you can retrieve when Provincial legislation permits. You can even create a voice message to let callers know you are away from your phone and will get back to them when it is safe to do so. 3. If you don t turn your phone off before you get into the car - at the very least turn off your ring tone so you are not distracted while driving. 4. In regards to set up a notification that you will not be able to respond to the but will do so only when Provincial legislation permits. 5. Get a smartphone buddy. Ask your passengers to make or receive calls and texts for you. 6. If you can t escape temptation from checking or answering your phone while driving put it in the trunk of your vehicle. WHILE DRIVING KEEP YOUR eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Visit for additional distracted driving resources 8

9 4. What are the CACP s insights on distracted driving? The CACP is cognizant of the perils of distracted driving. It continues to be, and is a growing contributing factor, in many serious injury and fatal collisions. To that end police agencies across Canada continue, through enforcement and education, to attempt to curb this growing problem. Our objective, as a community of road safety partners, is that everyone gets to their destination safely at the end of the day. The public plays an important role in meeting this objective. We encourage everyone to play their part in curbing this problem. We also encourage drivers to use apps that send a message back to the caller or texter that the person they are trying to reach is driving and will contact them once they safely arrive at their destination. So please, if you can t seem to avoid the temptation, turn your phone off or put it in the trunk before you start driving, and partner with us to make Canadian roads the safest in North America. 9

10 Distracted driving 101 Question 1 Answer How do you define distracted driving? Distracted driving is essentially any action a driver engages in that does not have to do with the operation of a vehicle. Some actions may not be considered distractions by some drivers and we need to understand that these distractions are commonplace on today s roads and fall into three categories. These three distraction categories are: Manual distractions When you take your hands of the wheel. Visual distractions Removing your eyes from the sight of the road. Cognitive distractions Being distracted by thinking about something else. Question 2 Answer What are the differences in distracted driving laws across Canada? Legislation varies by province. The legal impacts of distracted driving can vary depending on the circumstances. In some provinces a person can be fined up to $2,000. They could also have their licence suspended, be sentenced to driver rehab, or they can be charged with dangerous driving and even face possible jail time. Provinces continue to look at amending this legislation due to the scope of the problem. Refer to section 8 of this guide for a summary of legislation by province. Question 3 Answer Is hands-free safe? Anything that takes away your cognitive abilities while driving is not safe as people are paying attention to the conversation versus being aware of what is going on around them while driving. Question 4 Answer What about placing 911 calls while driving? Under certain provincial legislations calling 911 using hands-free is allowable. Please check your provincial legislation. If you can, when safe to do so pull over and call 911 from a stopped position. Question 5 Answer I can check messages or place/receive a call on my smartphone while stopped at a red light, correct? Absolutely not, you are still driving and it is illegal. Taking your eyes of the road for more than 2 seconds doubles your chances of crashing. 10

11 Tips on managing driver distraction Multi-tasking while driving has become commonplace. Drivers eat, drink, read, discipline their kids, use cell phones and even shave or apply make-up on the road. Most drivers, regularly or occasionally, perform personal and work-related tasks while driving. 1. Be familiar with the equipment in your car, such as the stereo system and cell phone. This is especially important if you have a new phone or car, or a rental vehicle. Practice before driving so you can perform basic functions without taking your eyes off the road. 2. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. If you have a phone, use a hands-free model and keep it in its holder. 3. Make sure your children are comfortable and properly buckled up. To keep children from distracting the driver, provide them with safe items they may need for the road trip. 4. Pull over to eat or drink. By stopping, you will give yourself a break from the traffic to enjoy your refreshments. Children or adults may choke on food while in the vehicle, causing a severe distraction for the driver. 5. Check your route before leaving. If you don t know where you re going, study a road map to avoid unnecessary stress and distractions. Do not attempt to read the road map while driving. 6. Do your grooming before leaving. Don t rely on the time in your vehicle to take care of your personal routine such as applying make-up, combing your hair or shaving. 7. Do not engage in emotionally charged conversations, either with the passengers or on your mobile phone. Such discussions can result in aggressive or erratic driving behavior. 8. Don t take notes while driving. Always find a safe place to stop before writing things down. 9. Drive defensively. Be prepared for the unsafe actions of other motorists or for poor driving conditions. 11

12 5. Policing distracted driving at a local level the Vancouver Police Department The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is honoured to partner with TELUS WISE, the CACP, RCMP and the Toronto Police Service and ICBC on distracted driving. The VPD Traffic Section has an authorized strength of 83 officers. The officer in charge is Inspector Les Yeo and the 2nd in command is Staff Sergeant Ken Eng. The section is comprised of four Traffic Enforcement Units (motorcycles), two Collision Investigation Units, and a Traffic Support Unit (Commercial Vehicle Team, Hit and Run Team and a Community Road Education and Safety Team (CREST). The enforcement units are responsible for traffic related duties in those areas including: Criminal Code driving offences. Violations of the provincial Motor Vehicle Act and Regulations. Enforcement of municipal bylaws. Vehicle and pedestrian control. Collision investigations. VIP escort. The VPD has several traffic enforcement initiatives with distracted driving being at the forefront. Since changes to the Motor Vehicle Act came into force on February 1, 2010 they continue to be committed to enforcing the laws associated to distracted driving through enforcement and education including drivers who continue to use hand-held cell phones, hand-held communications and entertainment devices while driving. Distracted driving is now one of two leading contributing factors of vehicle fatalities in British Columbia. The Province of British Columbia has recently increased the fines and penalty points for distracted driving. Visit for more information. 12

13 Presently in British Columbia the use of electronic devices: (1) A person must not use and electronic device while driving or operating a motor vehicle on a highway. Use Electronic Device while driving Fine $$ plus four penalty points, the equivalent of $ for a first offence. Distracted driving has also been added to the list of high-risk driving infractions that trigger early intervention and driving prohibitions through B.C s Driver Improvement Program (2) Without limiting subsection (1), a person must not communicate by means of an electronic device with another person or another device by electronic mail or other text-based message. Texting / while driving Fine $ plus 4 penalty points (1) (a) Graduated Licensing Program (GLP) - Those drivers with an N or L are not permitted to use an electronic device (including Bluetooth). Use of an Electronic Device while driving - $ plus 4 penalty points. On a whole, front-line officers have not seen much of a change in the use of cell phones by drivers. In the start, most people were using the phone to make calls and were holding it right to their ear. Many people still do this, but we have seen a shift where people try to hide it, by holding it on their thigh or lap and use the speaker phone. Some think this is okay. Others think that it is okay if they are stopped in traffic or at a red light and then check their phones to text or make a call. The reality is that any cell phone use is a distraction that can have serious consequences. Not only does cell phone use take away attention from a complex multitasking function (driving a car), it also perpetuates itself. Society has become dependent, and some would say addicted, to mobile electronic devices. A common myth is that it is the younger generation, but in speaking to our enforcement officers, it is a common problem across all generations. We continue to remind drivers to put their hand held electronic devices away when they get behind the wheel and to stay focused at all times while driving. Studies have shown that texting behind the wheel takes a driver s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. The few seconds it takes a driver to look at their cell phone, they can travel the length of a football field. Education is such an important component to distracted driving and we must continue to focus on this aspect. The world is wired for instant communication and the education must start with elementary school aged children to send the message that this is a very serious issue and that we need everyone to help and prevent it. We have to make a commitment to ourselves and others to not use our electronic device behind the wheel. If we do that, it will make our roads safer for everyone. 13

14 Enforcement and education The VPD works closely with stakeholders such as the ICBC and WorkSafeBC, and participating in the two provincial distracted driving campaigns as approved by the BCACP (British Columbia Association of Chiefs of Police) Traffic Safety Committee. In 2014, two distracted driving campaigns were held: 1. February 1-28, 2014 During this campaign, the VPD wrote a total of 1,448 distracted driving tickets. 2. September 1-30, 2014 During this campaign, the VPD wrote a total of 1,089 distracted driving tickets. Throughout the year, traffic enforcement officers work on different distracted driving projects, including: 1. Citizens Crime Watch (CCW) Volunteers CCW volunteers are a second set of eyes for the police. They are volunteers who are overseen by a Sergeant. These volunteers patrol in their own vehicles on weekend evenings and if they see anything that should be reported to the police, they contact the Sergeant who in turn generates a call for patrol officers. The group of volunteers have been a great asset for the VPD. On occasion, our enforcement teams will utilize the CCW volunteers. A plainclothes officer will ride in the passenger seat of the CCW s personal vehicle and patrol the major arterial routes looking for distracted driving violators. Motorcycle officers will be a few blocks out of view. Once a distracted driver is observed, the motor officers move in and conduct a traffic stop. This has proven to be very successful. 2. Traffic Enforcement Plainclothes Projects One or two members from an enforcement team with be dressed in plainclothes and stand at a busy intersection looking for distracted drivers. The motor officers will be staged a few blocks away in all four directions. When the plainclothes officers observe a violator, it is radioed to the members who will then conduct a traffic stop. 3. Partner with WorkSafeBC Cone Zone Alliance Enforcement officers partner with WorkSafeBC at construction sites. One of our officers will dress as a Flag Person and look for distracted driving violators and other violations while the other officers are set up to conduct the traffic stop. These projects are two-fold where the message is too slow down in construction zones to keep flaggers safe and that distracted driving will not be tolerated. 4. Patrol Officer based projects - The Traffic Section continues to engage our patrol officers to write violation tickets. The Operations Division District Patrol Teams will conduct traffic enforcement projects to augment work done by the Traffic Section. They often have one or two members dressed in plainclothes and will stand at a busy intersection looking for distracted drivers. The rest of the team is staged a few blocks away. When the plainclothes officers observe a violator, it is radioed to the members who will then conduct a traffic stop. 14

15 Testimonials by Traffic Enforcement Officers The VPD has four dedicated enforcement teams who patrol on Harley Davidson motorcycles. Here are some testimonials from our highly experienced officers on distracted driving: I was just holding it I have written hundreds of cell phone tickets and have prosecuted numerous tickets with almost 100% success. I have heard many excuses with the most common one being, I was just holding it. It seems that holding and using cannot be melded into one definition. Drivers seem to forget that in order to use most anything, you have to have it in your hand. Whether they are checking the time, moving it from one pocket to another or picking it up because it fell off their seat, it all adds up to use. Anytime the device is in a hand while they are driving, they are breaking the law. I have seen many people holding the phone in their hands and when I pull beside them, the phone is on their lap (often with the screen still lit). This is still a violation. Anywhere the phone may be used includes the lap, a cup holder and the door arm rest, to name a few. No one is over represented in the tickets I write: young and old, male or female, new or experienced driver. Everyone is using, holding, talking on, texting with or reading something on their phones. And don t forget about GPS. Use it - yes hold it - no! I had one lady holding her phone in her hand to check directions to her home in Richmond. She was given a ticket and asked if she needed help getting out of Vancouver. She declined, but I still pointed her in the direction of Richmond. I just happened to follow her path and two traffic lights and only 5 minutes later, I pulled next to her and saw her holding her phone again! I have seen people looking down in the classic cell phone pose in traffic with their faces lit by their cell phone screen. The light turns green and cars in front of them move. They do not. It s not until I am standing right beside the driver s window and knock do they jolt their heads up and put their phones down. Too late, prepare to receive a ticket. 15

16 Distracted drivers come from all age groups After spending thousands of hours watching drivers I would say an average of 10 percent of all drivers at any given time are using an electronic device while driving with about half of those users using the device illegally, and the other half legally using a mounted GPS or hands-free telephone function. I ve seen distracted drivers from all age groups and walks of life though there are comparatively few elderly users. The common thread binding the offenders seems to be attitude. Many think that it is an emergency when they have to look up an address, notify people that they re late or answer calls from family. Others are simply bored with traffic and occupy their time by playing with their phone. The main problem is the addiction people generally have with their cell phone which is only getting worse. I had a chat with one of the JJP s about it and from what he has seen; the problem is not getting any better. The education is out there but the addiction has remained. Interestingly enough, a large proportion of the people holding the phone in front of their face and using the speakerphone tell me, But I m using hands-free. When I ask them how it can be hands-free if they re holding the phone in their hands, most get a thoughtful look on their face before it actually dawns on them, and then offer the excuse that it wasn t up to their ear. Others just continue to argue, adamant that speakerphone is hands-free whether it s in their hand or not. While enforcing distracted driving at red lights I ve been clipped once and almost driven over twice by drivers who were fully stopped at a red light and too busy looking at their phone when they started to accelerate forward towards the officer in the high visibility Gore-Tex jacket or vest who had been standing in front of them for half the red light cycle waiting for them to look up. Since then, I ve learned that I must always knock on the window to get their attention first. Being connected I believe that the problem with distracted driving (electronic device) is something that technology has created and society has bought into with the concept of being connected. A mass education program must take place, world-wide, to combat the issue. Using your electronic device while driving needs to be seen as a un-cool thing to do; like drinking and driving or roadrage. Most drivers that I have stopped say that they were under the impression that it is okay to use their device while stopped at a red or stopped in traffic. 16

17 Some of the usual observations I see most often are: Use of the device while driving (texting while holding the device low at leg level). Use of the device while stopped at a red light or in heavy traffic. Using speaker phone while holding the device. Using speaker phone when device is placed on driver s lap. Using a device while driving is against the law In my opinion, people talking on cell phones while driving has decreased significantly. One thing that I have noticed is drivers now know that using a device while driving is against the law. Therefore, drivers talking on cell phones has appeared to decrease, but now drivers are trying to be sneakier with how they communicate with the devices while driving. More and more drivers are holding the phones down between their legs, or beside the consoles in the vehicles. This creates an even larger problem. Before drivers were distracted because of the conversations, now they are distracted because they are trying to hide the actions from police. At red lights, drivers continually grab devices and begin looking at text messages and even returning them. It is hard to enforce this unless you are in plainclothes, in a position to look into the vehicles to confirm the driver is in fact on an electronic device and not just changing a radio station or grooming themselves. Common excuses heard by Officers: Someone called so I had to answer to tell them I m driving and can t talk on the phone! It s not a phone! (I asked what is it then? ). It s a work phone! I m lost and I m just looking for directions. It s an emergency, my child is sick (while child safely at school or daycare) It s an emergency, my sister got into an accident and was wondering what she should do. I was just checking the time. 17

18 Some distraction driving observations by Officers: People holding their ipad against the steering wheel and actively reading an ebook while driving in rush hour. When asked why, one had responded that she found the drive to be boring. Playing online poker on cell phone. Looking at their Facebook and Instagram. Holding the phone on their shoulder with their chin. Cell phone in one hand, cigarette or food in the other hand and steering with their knee. Vehicle weaving all over road and when officer spoke to the driver, she said she had her phone resting on her leg when it slid off and she had to reach down to the floor to retrieve it. Everyone needs to be a part of changing the attitudes and behaviours in regards to distracted driving. A phone call or a text can wait until you reach your destination. It is not worth the risk of causing a collision and possibly causing an injury to yourself or others. Safety is a priority and everyone plays a vital role in keeping our roads safe. Education is important and emphasizing the consequences on the hazards of cell phone use is extremely important. There are very good advertisements circulating on the dangers of distracted driving. We must continue with strict enforcement, to look at the fines and penalty points, participate in distracted driving campaigns and engage and encourage large corporations such as cellular phone companies and automobile companies to play a larger role in distracted driving by bringing education and safety to local communities. Ken Eng Staff Sergeant 1667 Vancouver Police Department Traffic Section 18

19 6. What tips do Young Drivers of Canada have to share? Did you know driver distraction is a factor in per cent of fatal collisions involving teens? I am sure you ll agree that these stats are scary. Young Drivers of Canada have the following useful tips for teens and parents to help them avoid smartphone distractions while driving and impart positive behaviours to stop distracted driving for good. Out of sight, out of mind: Keep your phone out of your line of sight; keep it in your purse, in the glove box, or in the back seat to remove the temptation to check it. Put it on silent: Make sure your phone is on silent with vibrate turned off so you don t get distracted by incoming notifications. Better yet, switch it off entirely! Your messages will all be there when you ve safely reached your destination. Pull over: If you absolutely must check your phone or take a call, pull over to a safe location like a parking lot or a side street. Use the buddy system: If you re travelling with passengers, have them hold your phone for you. Parents, teach your kids: When parents learned to drive, smartphones didn t exist. As parents, we need to get with the times, lead by example and start teaching our teens that there s never a good time to use a smartphone while driving. Let your friends and family know you re driving: Notify your friends and family before you get in the driver s seat that you ll be driving and unable to answer their calls or texts. So next time you get behind the wheel, don t be an instigator! All your messages will still be there when you arrive safe and sound at your destination and the best part, your passengers and everyone else on the road will thank you for doing the right thing. 19

20 7. Everything happens for a reason Brad Gorski s story Ask yourself: when was the last time you checked your cell phone quickly at a red light or stop sign? What about making dinner plans using your cell phone on your drive home from work or school or how about after the gym? Better yet, when was the last time you texted and drove? Did you know that on the Victoria Day long weekend (May 2016), officers from BC RCMP provincial Integrated Road Safety Units issued 264 tickets to distracted drivers, including those driving without due care and attention and driving without reasonable consideration? The same weekend in 2015, 199 tickets were issued - that is a lot of people not even thinking about it. That s a lot of people who are flipping a coin with their lives. I did it. My life changed in a split-second, or the snap of your fingers, because I thought it would never happen to me; because I never had a scare; because I thought I was good at it. I never really cared about the consequences that would end up hurting my family, my friends and most importantly, myself. Since people are having a hard time breaking that bad habit, as of June 1st, 2016, using an electronic device while driving was designated a high risk driving offence. That puts it into the same category as excessive speeding, driving without due care or attention and driving without reasonable consideration. It also pushes the $167 base fine to $368. If that doesn t hurt enough, drivers will now have four driver penalty points added to their licence instead of three. This means ICBC will get you for an additional $175 when you go to renew your licence. That s a bargain compared to the price I continue to pay. I was your typical kid growing up, doing typical things. I was very active and healthy. I played lots of hockey and baseball with my friends, we hung out a lot, and I camped often. I had a blast but -- there s always a but -- I thought that I was invincible. With practice and timing, like a lot of people, I also thought I had perfected the art of distracted driving. On October 30, 2005, I was driving my very familiar five minute route home from the gym in the early afternoon. I was playing with my cell phone like a lot of people do after the gym, after work, after picking their kids up from school, when they re hungry and I blew through a solid red light. I was T-boned, driver s side, by a semi-tractor trailer unit. I suffered those consequences that I was talking about earlier - that I never thought about -first hand: a collapsed lung, bruising to the right side of my brain and lots of blood lost. It happened so close to home that my family was on the scene as I was being loaded into the ambulance, in a coma. My life was turned upside down. I spent seven weeks in a coma before awakening to a whole new reality and whole list of consequences I hadn t given much thought to. Through years of all sorts of rehabilitation, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, worrying and getting my life better in so many ways, I found a passion in talking about it too. I speak at high schools and receive good reactions from kids, parents and teachers. I ran into a mother at a local Starbucks whose daughter had seen me speak and told me that she brought the message home (thank you!). Every time I give one of my talks - I suggest that to all the kids tell your parents and your family about how dangerous distracted driving is. Learn from what happened to me. People often tell me they ve seen me on YouTube and comment on it. I have written things for Telus, done campaigns with the RCMP and the Vancouver Police Department, talked with FortisBC and TEDx my story is first hand. Yes, I m all for the penalties being increased; yes, I think it is needed because the consequences are a lot worse. Maybe now people will stop driving distracted, because you do not want to flip that coin and have it land on the wrong side. Brad Gorski bgorski35@hotmail.com 20

21 8. Distracted driving laws in Canada Below please find a summary of distracted driving laws in Canada, as of August Please check links provided by province as distracted driving legislations may have changed since the publication of this guide. Jurisdiction What is prohibited? Penalty Alberta Effective January 1, 2016 the penalty for distracted driving in Alberta will be a $287 fine and three demerit points. Any charges or convictions laid before January 1, 2016 will result in a $287 fine but no demerit points (regardless of whether the ticket is paid before or after January 1). Additional information can be found at: transportation.alberta.ca/distracteddriving $287 plus 3 demerit points British Columbia Effective June, 2016: Part 3.1 (Sections through 214.6) of the MVA prohibits the use of electronic devices while driving, with limited exceptions. Hands-free devices that can be operated through voice control or one touch are allowed for most drivers, but not those in GLP. Distracted driving infractions have been added to the list of high risk driving infractions that trigger early intervention and driving prohibitions through the Driver Improvement Program. Additional information can be found at: gov.bc.ca/distracteddriving s (1) (use of a device) - $368 plus 4 points (effective June 1, 2016) s 214.2(2) (texting or ing) - $368 plus 4 points new driver (1) (a) Use Electronic Device while driving - $368 plus 4 points Manitoba As of August 1, 2013, Manitobans convicted of using a handheld device while driving will receive two demerits, in addition to a $200 fine. Additional information can be found at: details&program_id=5180 $200 plus 2 points 21

22 Jurisdiction What is prohibited? Penalty New Brunswick Telephone calls: You cannot make or take calls when driving unless your telephone is hands-free or single-touch. If there is an emergency, you can call 911. Only while driving a police, fire or ambulance vehicle are you allowed to make or take a call. Texting: You are not allowed. Ever. Portable GPS: You can look at your GPS screen, but you cannot program or handle it. MP3 or other entertainment devices: You can handle built-in devices. If you have a portable device plugged in while you drive, you can listen, but you cannot touch. Display screen: If it is built into your vehicle, it is fine. Otherwise, you cannot have it in your view. Two-way radio: You can use a two-way radio if driving for commercial purposes or driving a commercial vehicle (a bus or vehicle with gross mass of 4,500 kg or more), or involved in an emergency operation or search-and-rescue. Additional information can be found at: safety/content/promo/driver_distraction.html $ plus 3 points Newfoundland and Labrador Hand-held cell phones, plus text messaging on any device Additional information can be found at: $ plus 4 points Nova Scotia Currently, fines range from $ for a first offence to $ for a third, or subsequent offence. As of Feb. 1, the fines will increase to $ for a first offence to $ for a third or subsequent offence. Four demerit points will be added if convicted. Additional information can be found at: $ $ plus 4 points 22

23 Jurisdiction What is prohibited? Penalty Ontario The law makes it illegal for drivers to talk, text, type, dial or using hand-held cell phones and other hand-held communications and entertainment devices. The law also prohibits drivers from viewing display screens unrelated to the driving task, such as laptops or DVD players, while driving. The use of hands-free devices is still permitted, and drivers may use hand-held devices to call Hands-free use means that apart from activating or deactivating the device, it is not held during use and the driver is not physically interacting with or manipulating it. Actions such as dialing or scrolling through contacts, or manually programming a GPS device, for example, are not allowed. $ $1, plus 3 points Additional information can be found at: P.E.I. Hand-held wireless communication devices Additional information can be found at: php3?number= &lang=e $ $1, plus 5 points Quebec Hand-held devices that include a phone function, plus using it hands-free. Additional information can be found at: $ plus 3 points (penalties under review) Saskatchewan Hand-held communication equipment GLP drivers not allowed hands-free Additional information can be found at: html $280 plus 4 points Effective June 27, 2014, second and subsequent offences of using a wireless communication device while driving, in a 1 year period, will result in a 7-day vehicle impoundment. Yukon Drivers with a full-privilege licence are not allowed to use handheld electronic devices having the capability of talking, texting or ing, while driving. Drivers in the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Program are not allowed to use the following while driving: Any hand-held electronic devices with the capability of talking, texting or ing, and Any hands-free devices. Additional information can be found at : $250 plus 3 points 23

24 9. Resources Check out the following resources to learn more about distracted driving and how you can make the roads safer by practicing safe driving including safe smartphone use. CAA (Canadian Automobile Association) distracted driving education website Distracted driving laws across Canada website Insurance Bureau of Canada website Leave the Phone Alone website RCMP distracted driving resources website RoadSafetyBC website ICBC Road Safety website TELUS WISE (WISE Internet and Smartphone Education) website Young Drivers of Canada website If you have any questions please contact us at 24

25 How you can participate in TELUS WISE Visit us at telus.com/wise Contact us at Book a personalized training session to learn about your smartphone features at one of our over 300 TELUS Learning Centres Join the conversation online on Twitter and using #TELUSWISE TELUS, TELUS WISE, the TELUS logo, and the future is friendly are trademarks of TELUS Corporation, used under license TELUS. 16_00777