More traffic deaths are now caused by distracted drivers than impaired drivers, the Insurance Corporation of BC said in a press release last week.
Locally, though, Creston RCMP have made a big effort to take impaired drivers off the road, while also setting up check stops to identify drivers distracted by cell phones.
“As a result of increased enforcement, our impaired driving charges have increased significantly this year,” Cpl. Darren Kakuno, who is currently acting commanding officer of the Creston RCMP detachment, said on Sunday. “Each year we identify detachment priorities based on the concerns of the communities we serve. Road safety was a common concern amongst our communities and our officers have been working hard to address this concern. During the first six months of our fiscal year (April-September 2017) we recorded 49 impaired driving charges. This is up from 13 charges over the same period last year.”
December is always a concerning time for police, with increased social activities often combining with poor road conditions.
“Impaired driving remains one of the top causes of criminal death in British Columbia,” Kakuno said. “With the holiday season approaching, it’s a good time to remind everyone that if you plan on drinking, please do not drive.”
Meanwhile, ICBC, government and police are reminding drivers to “take a break from their phone”.
Distracted driving continues to claim more lives on B.C. roads than impaired driving, according to ICBC.
“Despite tougher penalties, more police enforcement and continued public education, on average, 78 people still don’t make it home to their families every year because of distracted and inattentive drivers,” the press release says. “In contrast, an average of 66 people are killed each year due to impaired driving. In fact, distraction and driver inattention is one of the top contributing factors in motor vehicle fatalities in BC and contributes to more than one quarter of all car crash deaths.”
In a recent Ipsos Reid study conducted for ICBC, nearly all respondents agreed that it is extremely risky to use their hand-held phone while driving. Still, 38 per cent of drivers said that they use their phone during at least 10 per cent of the trips they take.
In response, police across B.C. are ramping up distracted driving enforcement in September, and community volunteers are conducting Cell Watch deployments to remind drivers to take a break from their phone when driving.
BC Attorney General David Eby says his government is committed to supporting efforts to reduce distracted driving.
“Distracted driving is entirely preventable, as are the crashes and casualties caused by the behavior,” he said in the ICBC release. To address this issue, our government is moving forward with a pilot program of new technologies to eliminate distracted driving among high-risk groups, and to increase public awareness of the risks of this dangerous driving behaviour. Drivers need to be part of the solution too: put down your phones before driving; keep them out of reach; and keep yourself, your passengers and other road users safe.”
Readers can view more tips and statistics in an infographic at icbc.com.