What you should know about cell phones and driving

Did you know the vast majority of Canadians - 68 per cent - support a ban on using cellular phones while driving? A recent study also shows that 64 per cent of Canadians rate using cell phones while driving as a serious or extremely serious problem.

Cell phones and safety

Without a doubt, cell phones can be valuable tools for road safety. They allow drivers to report collisions and dangerous driving and can help travellers in times of distress. But the safety value lies in having a phone available in your car, not using it while you drive.

A simple rule to follow is: never use a cellular phone while driving. Doing so puts lives at risk - yours and others’. And if a call is important enough, it deserves your full attention.

If you must use your phone while on the road, follow one of these safety tips:

• pull over and stop before making your call;
• allow a passenger to operate the phone while you drive;
• let your phone’s answering service take in-coming calls and respond at a later time; or
• let someone else drive while you make or receive calls.

It is illegal in Newfoundland and Labrador to use a hand-held cell phone while driving. Currently, no other Canadian jurisdictions ban the use of cell phones while driving, although some are considering legislation.

A driver who causes a collision while using a cell phone, or who is observed driving unsafely while using the device, could be charged under a number of provincial/territorial laws such as dangerous driving or criminal negligence causing death or injury.

In its ongoing commitment to safety, Transport Canada is conducting research on driver distraction, including the impact of cell phone use. Tests suggest that drivers’ level of distraction increases while they speak on cell phones. This holds true whether drivers use hand-held or hands-free devices. The risk largely comes from the distraction of thinking about a conversation - not just from handling a phone. Research also suggests that stressful, emotional or important conversations may also be a considerable distraction.

Collisions, injuries and even fatalities can result from the distractions that cell phones cause. So always remember, you’ll survive a missed phone call, but you might not survive a collision.

For more information on cell phones and driving, visit Road Safety's Web site.