The Truth & Consequences of Texting While Driving

The Truth & Consequences Of Texting While Driving



#1 road safety concern among Canadians is texting & driving

98% of adults think texting while driving is unsafe

Yet... 35% of Canadians admit to sending a text message or email while behind the wheel.



We recognize texting & driving is wrong

BUT MANY OF US STILL DO IT ANYWAY!



What's the worst that can happen?



4.6 seconds = average time texting drivers take their eyes off the road



In that length of time a car going 50 KM/H will travel 63.9 metres



That's like driving the entire length of an NHL hockey rink with your eyes closed



It takes 1.5 seconds for drivers to perceive a need to stop & move their foot to the brake pedal

Driving at 50 KM/H a car will travel at least 34.9 metres before coming to a full stop.



While sending or reading a text, you could:



Hit another vehicle

Texting drivers are 23X more likely to get into a crash



Strike a pedestrian

Hit at 50 KM/H pedrestrians have a

50% risk of severe injury

25% risk of death



Collisions aren't the only consequences



Since 2009 it is illegal in Ontario to text or use your cell phone while driving



The fine for texting and driving is $155



In court, judges can bump the fine up to $500



You could also be charged with careless driving

Fines up to $2,000

Possible jail time

6 demerit points



A careless driving charge can raise your car insurance premium by 50%



In 2012 the Ontario Provincial Police issued 15,916 distracted driving tickets



In a one week blitz the Toronto police laid 1,705 cell phone related driving charges



94% of Canadians are aware that texting while driving is illegal in their province



50% don't think the laws are enough to stop drivers from texting THE TRUTH & CONSEQUENCES OF TEXTING WHILE DRIVING 98% OF ADULTS THINK TEXTING WHILE DRIVING IS UNSAFE #1 35% YET... ROAD SAFETY CONCERN OF CANADIANS ADMIT TO SENDING A TEXT MESSAGE OR EMAIL WHILE BEHIND THE WHEEL AMONG CANADIANS IS TEXTING & DRIVING WE RECOGNIZE TEXTING & DRIVING IS WRONG BUT MANY OF US STILL DO IT ANYWAY! WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN? O 4.6 SECONDS = AVERAGE TIME TEXTING DRIVERS TAKE THEIR EYES OFF THE ROAD IN THAT LENGTH OF TIME A CAR GOING 50 KM/H WILL TRAVEL 63.9 METRES THAT'S LIKE DRIVING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF AN WITH NHL НОСKEY RINK YOUR EYES CLOSED DRIVING AT 50 KM/H A CAR WILL TRAVEL AT LEAST IT TAKES 34.9 METRES 1.5 SECONDS BEFORE COMING TO A FULL STOP FOR DRIVERS TO PERCEIVE A NEED TO STOP & MOVE THEIR FOOT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE SENDING OR READING A TEXT, YOU COULD: HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE STRIKE A PEDESTRIAN HIT AT 50 KM/H PEDESTRIANS HAVE A TEXTING DRIVERS ARE 23X MORE LIKELY 50% RISKOF SEVERE INJURY TO GET INTO A CRASH 25% RISK OF DEATH COLLISIONS AREN'T THE ONLY CONSEQUENCES SINCE 2009 IT IS THE FINE FOR TEXTING AND DRIVING IS IN COURT, JUDGES CAN BUMP THE FINE UP TO ILLEGAL IN ONTARIO TO TEXT OR USE YOUR CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING $155 $500 %2$ $$ YOU COULD ALSO BE CHARGED WITH CARELESS DRIVING FINES UP TO POSSIBLE $2,000 JAIL TIME 6 DEMERIT POINTS A CARELESS DRIVING CHARGE CAN RAISE YOUR BY 50% CAR INSURANCE PREMIUM TEXTING & DRIVING IS A FORM OF DISTRACTED DRIVING IN 2012 THE ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE ISSUED IN A ONE WEEK BLITZ THE TORONTO POLICE LAID 15,916 1,705 DISTRACTED DRIVING TICKETS CELL PHONE RELATED DRIVING CHARGES 94% OF CANADIANS ARE AWARE THAT TEXTING WHILE DRIVING IS ILLEGAL IN THEIR PROVINCE 50% DON'T THINK THE LAWS ARE ENOUGH TO STOP DRIVERS FROM TEXTING Bergeron | Clifford LLP Personal Injury Lawyers www.bergeronclifford.com KINGSTON 613 - 384 - 5886 WHITBY 905 - 668 - 3424 OTTAWA 613 - 241 - 4777 PERTH 613 - 267 - 2800 SOURCES: http://globalnews.ca/news/680451/95-canadians-admit-to-distracted-driving/ http://mashable.com/2013/03/28/texting-while-driving/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=rss http://www.tirf.ca/publications/PDF_publications/RSM_2012_Drinking_Driving_Eng_2.pdf http://distracteddriving.caa.ca/education/crash-odds.php http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/faq.html http://distracteddriving.caa.ca/simulator/learnmore.html http://distracteddriving.caa.ca/ https://www.aaafoundation.org/sites/default/files/2011PedestrianRisksSpeed_0.pdf http://distracteddriving.caa.caleducation/distracted-driving-laws-in-canada.php http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Egan+Texting+driving+busted/8241307/story.html http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/03/01/toronto-distracted-driving.html http://www.healthandsafetyontario.ca/WSPS/News/Distracted-driving-the-laws-are-working.aspx http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2013/07/03/distracted-drivers-a-danger-on-niagaras-roads http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/distracted-driving/consequences.shtml http://www.insurancehotline.com/distracted-driver-fines-now-in-effect/