Put down the cell phone and concentrate on the road. Seems like a simple message, but many motorists are still not getting it.
ICBC, the provincial government and police agencies from across the province will be joining forces in March to raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of distracted driving. According to ICBC, despite tougher penalties and increased education, distracted driving still contributes to more than onequarter of all car crash fatalities in B.C., with an average of 78 people killed every year.
In a recent Ipsos Reid survey conducted for ICBC, almost all drivers believe distracted driving has led to an increase in crashes; however, nearly 40 per cent admit to still using their device at least some of the time while driving.
In response, ICBC, police and volunteers have worked together to plan enforcement deployments across the province.
Delta police public affairs coordinator Sharlene Brooks said officers and volunteers were out conducting enforcement on March 2 with other concentrated events planned later this month.
"Taking an integrated and focused approach, police across B.C. will be conducting concentrated enforcement on those who continue to use their phones while driving," said Delta police Chief Neil Dubord, chair of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police traffic safety committee.
