Today, the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has launched its #likelife campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving.
The campaign is urging Canadians to put down their smartphones while they are on the road. In a statement, IBC’s Vice-President Sally Turney said:
“Unfortunately we continue to see an increasing number of drivers engaging on social media. Whether checking their Twitter feed, scrolling through their Facebook timeline, or looking at their friend’s posts on Instagram- we urge drivers to put the phone down. Our message is simple: Your life is worth more than a Like. By using your phone behind the wheel you’re not only breaking the law, you’re putting your life and the lives of others on the road at risk.”
If a driver is texting while behind the wheel, the chance of being involved in a crash increases by 23 times. All provinces in Canada, in addition to the Yukon and Northwest Territories, now ban the use of a hand-held device while behind the wheel. In a statement, Turney said:
“There are also a number of other distractions that are dangerous while driving; for example, eating, fiddling with your GPS or radio, and reaching for a fallen object. Allowing your attention to wander can have fatal results.”
The IBC has released a video to kickoff the #likelife campaign:
In Canada, one of the leading causes of incidents while behind is using a smartphone.
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It says [Insert Video]… But no video
Thanks! The issue has been fixed 🙂
No idea if it was a factor, but I’m currently leg in a cast and arm in a sling from a car driving into me while I was crossing the street (at a crosswalk with right of way).
So here’s to all of us (myself included!) making a greater effort to keep our eyes out for each other!
Yep. It’s a constant discussion over here. 1 in 10 drivers have a glowing crotch, or simply resting the phone on the wheel.
I’ve had to pull my baby stroller back many times, especially cars coming out of a residential side streets. This one particular guy talking on the phone, nearly hit my stroller, would have if I didn’t pull it back. He was talking on the phone with his window open, I screamed into his window as loud as I could “You Almost kill my kid, Get off you’re fucking phone!” He just smiled at me and drove off.
They appear to have little to no remorse, and I never remember to snap a picture of the driver and license plate before they drive off.
Geez that’s terrifying. I don’t understand what some people are thinking sometimes. I’m glad you and your child are ok though!
Thanks. 🙂
It really is horrible out there.
It’s sad to see that we need to raise awareness on something that should have been common sense to begin with.