Distracted driving continues to be one of the leading causes of traffic accidents in Edmonton. As technology grows, we are at risk of facing more and more distracted drivers every single day.
Distractions have always been a problem for drivers ever since the invention of the car. Talking to other passengers, putting on makeup, driving while exhausted, or just not paying attention to the road ahead of you are all considered to be big distractions. With the introduction of wireless devices such as cell phones, smartphones, headphones, etc. people may get distracted easily when they drive. Some think they can take their eyes off the road for a second to read a text or answer a phone call.
Looking at your phone, even for a second, while you are driving can end up costing you more than the $300 ticket and three demerit points.
The real cost of distracted driving
If you are injured during a car crash that was caused because you were distracted while driving and you try to take the other driver to court, your case will more than likely be thrown out of court.
If you suffered an injury in a car crash that was caused by you being distracted, but it was the fault of the other driver, you may get awarded a value for your damage, but it may be decreased based on the percentage of if your distraction caused most of the damage.
If you were the person who got hit by another car, but you were distracted at the time, and the person who hit it as at fault and has injured another person, you may be found responsible for the damages. However, in the best-case scenario, you will be assessed only a percentage of the damages that you have to pay for Distracted driving in Alberta.
In 2016, it was reported that 30% of all collisions in Alberta were due to distracted driving. In Alberta’s law, the following are considered to be the cause of distracted driving:
- Texting or emailing even when you are at a red light.
- Talking on a hand-held cell phone.
- Using other electronic devices such as cameras, laptops, video games, tablets, and audio players like MP3 players or iPods.
- Personal grooming like shaving or applying makeup.
- Reading printed materials like a map or book.
- Writing or drawing in a notebook.
Although there was a drop off in reported distracted driving accidents in 2016 compared to 2015, the amount of distracted driving accidents Albertans face per year is very high. As you can see below, there was a major jump in accidents caused by distracted drivers and the trends seems to keep going up.
Here is the number of distracted driving accidents starting from 2012:
Total Accidents by Year
2012 – 8,345
2013 – 25,958
2014 – 25,913
2015 – 27,417
2016 – 27,281
We all have to work together to get these distracted driving accidents down, and it starts by waiting to send that text and just keep your eyes on the road!
Get Drivers Ed in Edmonton and learn how to avoid distractions while driving.
Contact Central Driving School:
Phone – 587-463-9999
Address – 3248 Winspear Crescent SW. Edmonton, AB, T6X 1P2(map)