Drive Safely With Your Cell Phone

Have you ever had a near miss while driving, and looked to find the other driver oblivious and talking on a cell phone while driving?

"Transport Canada is concerned that in-vehicle telematics devices are a threat to road safety because they can increase driver distraction and cause an increase in distraction-related crashes. This concern is based on a substantial and mounting body of evidence indicating that using these devices impairs driving performance. " In studies done by Transport Canada, "public awareness and education campaigns regarding reducing distracted driving were strongly supported by all, and most were in agreement that a non-regulatory approach to limit driver distraction caused by in-vehicle telematics by Transport Canada should also be initiated". Transport Canada is currently negotiating an agreement known as a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with automotive manufacturers. The basics of this agreement would be to ensure that a driver's performance is considered during product design, development, and testing of in-vehicle telematics devices to ensure proper safety.

Transport Canada's "Road Safety Vision 2010" is targeting a decrease of 30% in the average annual number of road users killed or seriously injured during the 2008–2010 period compared with 1996–2001. Research for this vision studied Rural Canada Cell Phone Use by Province or Territory as well as rural seatbelt use.

While most technology users, manufacturers, and government regulators all agree that devices such as cell phones, GPS systems and wireless internet all contribute to driver distraction, all parties generally agree that these items have become such a fixture in our lives that - Cell Phone Bans: A Good Idea That Can't Be Done . Drivers must ultimately take responsibility to use their technology safely.

Marc Choma, director of communications for the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, explained that the industry has long maintained a strict but simple policy in regard to promoting safe driving and the use of wireless products."It is up to the driver to make safety their first priority," he said. "Wireless carriers and manufacturers take the responsibility to educate drivers about the safe and responsible use of their products and services very seriously".

Reed Berry "The Traffic Guy" sums up driver responsibility and gives us cell phone safety tips to drive by. Take a moment, read his tips, and practise cell phone safety!