Insurance Bureau of Canada Launches Campaign to Raise Awareness of Distracted Driving Dangers

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.