Every time you get behind the wheel, chances are your phone is with you. And while your cell phone should be left in your pocket or purse, most of the time, they don’t go too far.
As part of Rates.ca fourth annual distracted driving survey, 43% of Canadians admit to using a mobile device while driving.
According to the study, this includes using maps, listening to music, checking messages, and making calls on an unmounted device.
“All of these actions constitute an offence, which varies across provinces,” says the survey. “But distracted driving takes many forms. Anything that robs your attention from the road can still yield fatal consequences.”
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Rates.ca says Quebec has the lowest percentage of people who admit to distracted driving behaviours. Quebec ranks among the lowest in six out of nine distracting behaviours when it comes to technology-related actions like taking a video (3%), texting (9%) and checking messages while stopped at a traffic light (17%).
The survey attributes Quebec’s standing to a recent road safety campaign initiated by the Sûreté du Québec and the distracted driving penalties already in place. The provincial police force has been cracking down on monitoring the main causes of death on the road, which include distraction, and plans to carry out its road safety plan until 2026.
Rates.ca
Rates.ca says a whopping 83% of Canadian drivers say they engage in at least one distracted driving behaviour, including eating, drinking, talking to a passenger, or reaching for an object while driving.
Despite the high volume of participation in distracted driving, 58% of Canadian participants believe distracted driving is the biggest risk on our roads.
Rates.ca
Distracted driving transcends technology
Distracted driving is typically associated with cellphone use, but Rates.ca says various activities that may seem harmless while driving is considered a distraction.
The survey says that searching for an object, eating, or drinking a non-alcoholic beverage diverts your attention away from the road.
For example, in Alberta and British Columbia, personal grooming counts as distracted driving. Whereas in Ontario, the province’s distracted driving law only applies to electronic devices. However, more than half (58%) of respondents believe eating or drinking a beverage while driving is a safe activity compared to technological distractions.
According to Ontario Provincial Police, inattentive-related traffic deaths have increased by 29% from 2020 to 2021, while alcohol-and drug-related traffic deaths declined by 46% in the same time frame.
The survey says Canadians are taking part in what it calls “select distractions” because they believe they’re safe. Examples include: eating and drinking, talking to passengers while in motion, checking messages while at a red light or stop sign, and, unfortunately, even making social media posts — especially TikTok.
“Distracted driving isn’t just unsafe; it’s costly, too. Not only is there the fine you may receive from police — there’s also the toll this infraction can take on your auto insurance rate,” says Rates.ca. “Distracted driving can impact your auto premium differently from province to province. So, if your own safety, and the safety of others, isn’t enough of an incentive to stay alert while driving, it’s possible an auto premium increase might pave the way toward safer driving practices among Canadians.”
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