Driving takes 100 per cent of our attention all year round.
Road crashes are the third-leading cause of death among young people in Canada. In 2020, transportation-related injuries were the third-leading cause for emergency departments and urgent care centre visits among youth, ages 15 to 19, in Alberta.
The risk of accidents increases, even after just one second of taking your eyes off the road. Distracted driving can be:
Visual distraction: When a driver’s eyes leave the roadway.
Manual distraction: When a driver’s hands leave the steering wheel.
Cognitive distraction: When a driver’s mind is no longer on the task at hand.
Actions — such as texting or calling while driving, talking to friends in the car, switching songs, or eating and drinking — that take a driver away from the task at hand and increase the risk of accidents and injuries on the road.
Avoid distracted driving by:
Turning your phone off or using the “do not disturb” feature while driving.
Giving your phone to a friend.
Parking safely before checking your phone or making a call.
Parents can also set good examples for their children and teens by keeping their cellphones out of reach when driving.
Speeding, sleep deprivation, as well as drug and alcohol-impaired and aggressive driving also increase the risk of crashes and injuries on the road.