Tell me your tips to prevent distracted driving
April 19, 2012
Photo credit: OregonDOT on Flickr
“Whoa! Look at that driver! He’s talking into an iPhone – right in front of his face!” yelled my passenger recently as we passed through the intersection of Main and Terminal in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Was the driver talking to Siri?
It’s likely that most of us see examples of this bad behaviour all too often, despite BC’s ban on hand-held devices and the $167 fine levied for infractions – not to mention the risk of death or injury to oneself or (even worse) an innocent person in the vicinity.
In BC, vehicle crashes are the number one cause of traumatic work-related deaths, according to WorkSafeBC statistics. On average, approximately 30 workers in BC are killed each year while driving, and distracted driving, such as cell phone use, is a key factor in these crashes.
The DriveCellSafe.com website says 25 per cent of vehicle crashes each year can be attributed to drivers being distracted – and most of the distraction is caused by hand-held devices.
What can be so important that they are willing to risk such serious consequences? Is it just another instance of “it won’t happen to me”? Regardless of the reasons, I feel very angry to see it – and I’ve heard a lot of people who feel the same way.
If you’ve got any tips for preventing distracted driving, I’d like to hear about them in the Comments section. Tell me where you are from and what traffic is like in your region. Also, what kinds of “distracted driver” campaigns are in your jurisdiction? Check out this video (it’s not shockvertising) from Preventable.ca.
More information on driving safely at work can be found at the Road Safety at Work website
Rick Mercer driver distraction rant
September 30, 2010
“Who’s responsible for safety when workers get behind the wheel at work?”
You’ll find answers to this question in “Driver’s Seat,” a story in the Sept/Oct 2010 issue of WorkSafe Magazine by Helena Bryan. And just ask Rick Mercer.
Problems with shockvertising campaigns
August 19, 2010
I had some responses to my last post on shockvertising. I agree with Liv that I’d rather see a more positive approach – maybe a dad with his kids, saying “keep him safe” and not an example of “what terrible thing will happen to this family man.”
This ad from Ontario shows how severe workplace injuries can be (link to more below)
Cathrin commented on the post, saying she doesn’t think the ads will motivate people to change.
“I think people do get desensitized to anything if they are motivated to want to do something like read their friend’s latest text,” Cathrin wrote in her comment. “They can think: ‘Oh, those poor girls in the video, but that won’t happen to me because I’ll be careful and just take a quick peek!’”
Maybe the viewers see people texting and driving and think “I’ll just text and drive more carefully.” Read more
Does “shockvertising” change behaviour?
August 10, 2010
Click this image to view PSA - Texting While Driving on YouTube. Warning: very graphic content
Don’t watch this video unless you can handle some “shockvertising.”
It’s been nearly a year since this public service announcement was funded by the Gwent Police Department in the UK. Its blood, screaming, crying, and severe injuries are very disturbing.
This “Don’t text and drive” message went viral on the Internet in August 2009 when it was released. It’s a classic example of “shockvertising.” Read more
