Distracted Driving
When in control of a motor vehicle, a driver’s attention needs to be focused on controlling the vehicle and preventing crashes. Secondary activities like eating, talking to passengers, and talking or texting on mobile devices (e.g., cell phones or smartphones) can distract a driver’s attention from the driving task. These distractions can decrease a driver’s awareness of the road environment and/or other road users and lead to potentially critical delays in recognizing and responding to driving risks.
Prevalence:
According to Transport Canada’s Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics, in 2023, police officers investigating collisions reported that 18% of fatal collisions involved driver distraction This represents a 13% reduction compared to 2022 and a 16% reduction since 2020. Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics: 2023.
An observational survey conducted across Canada in 2016 and 2017 found that 3% of drivers who were stopped at intersections were using handheld mobile phones, an increase of about 25% since an earlier survey in 2012-2013. Survey Report on ECD Use by Urban vs Rural Areas (2016-17, CCMTA)
According to self-reported data in 2020, 31% of Canadians reported that they often talked on their hands-free phone while driving. Thirteen percent indicated they had often talked on their handheld phone while driving and 11% reported they had often texted on their handheld phone while driving. All three types of reported cell phone activity had increased since a 2010 survey. More information on distracted driving statistics can be found at: Distracted driving report
Countermeasures:
All provinces and territories in Canada have laws prohibiting the use of handheld mobile phones while driving. Parachute has prepared a document regarding the jurisdictional distracted driving laws: Distracted Driving: Canadian Legislation Chart (Parachute, 2019)
The police conduct periodic enforcement campaigns across Canada to deter handheld phone use by drivers. Depending on the jurisdiction, minimum fines vary from $80 to $575 on conviction and the maximum fine varies from $100 to $1200. In some jurisdictions, drivers can also receive demerit points on their driving record or have their licence suspended for several days.
There are also various awareness campaigns by governments and non-governmental organizations to inform drivers about the risks of cell phone use such as Leave the Phone Alone (LeaveThePhoneAlone.ca – Take the Pledge) and the Traffic Injury Research Foundation’s Drop It And Drive® program (Drop It And Drive (DIAD) — Preventing Distracted Driving (TIRF Program)).
Technology is being developed to disable the mobile phone while driving or to answer incoming calls or texts with a message to callers that the person is currently driving/unavailable.
For more information about distracted driving see: