Important: Effective December 26, 2020, CAA Niagara Branch locations will be temporarily closed in accordance with the Province of Ontario's provincewide shut-down. Emergency roadside assistance will continue to operate 24/7.
Read the latest updates from CAA Niagara.
Distraction behind the wheel is killing more Canadians than impaired driving
While numbers may vary, the evidence to date clearly shows that driver distraction is an important issue for road safety. CAA believes that the rise of habits that constitute distracted driving, and particularly texting while driving, over the past decade is a serious cause for concern.
Postmedia and CAA recently partnered on a five part series Fatal Distraction, examining the deadliest threat of our connected lives.
The dangers of driving while distracted
Even a moment's distraction can be dangerous for you as a driver and to everyone around you on the road. Based on a recent CAA time trial, replying to a text message takes an average of 33.6 seconds. If you're driving on a residential road, this means you may have missed 85 parked cars, 36 houses or 5 intersections. Maybe you didn't see the vehicle that was backing down a driveway or maybe it was the young cyclists who may have suddenly turned into your path.
- Drivers are 5 times more likely to crash when talking on their cell phones.
- Distracted drivers are 3 times more likely to be in a crash than attentive drivers.
- Drivers are 9 times more likely to crash when reaching for a moving object.
- Drivers engaged in text messaging on a cell phone are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash or near-crash event compared to non-distracted drivers.
Distracted Driving Simulator
When you take your eyes off the road or are distracted from the primary task of driving, how much are you missing? Use this interactive driving scenario simulator to find out.
Niagara Region's Think and Drive
Think and Drive is part of the overall plan that teaches drivers about local road safety issues and how they can take personal responsibility for making themselves and Niagara's roads safer.