(Photo credit: State Farm/Flickr)
Distracted driving has become the number one reason behind fatal car accidents and while it’s against the law to text and drive, Ontario teens continue this dangerous habit.
More than one third of Ontario students with driving licenses between grade ten and 12, which is about 108,000 youth, admitted they’ve texted while driving at least once during the year, according to the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health’s 2013 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Grade 12 teen drivers were more likely to do this with 46 per cent admitting to this behaviour.
“We asked about texting while driving because research shows that this is a very hazardous behaviour,” said Dr. Robert Mann, CAMH Senior Scientist and Principal Investigator, said in a press release. “We were surprised to find that so many young people are taking this risk.”
While distracted driving rates have increased, drinking and driving among youth dropped. According to the survey, 18 per cent of students between grade seven and 12 rode in a vehicle with a driver who’d drank alcohol. Also, four per cent of drivers with a G license in grade 12, which is about 12,700 youth, reported driving within an hour of having one or two drinks. This has dropped from seven per cent in 2011.
But youth are more likely to drive after using weed compared to drinking alcohol. One in ten high school drivers, which is about 31,500 youth, operated a vehicle within an hour of using weed during the year. While 14 per cent of middle school and high school students rode in a vehicle driven by someone who’d recently used drugs.
Driving while drinking, driving while texting or driving after drug use are all very dangerous habits. It’s important that adults set good examples in their behaviour and teach their children the importance of being alert while operating a vehicle.
Recently, Ontario’s distracted driving fines were raised to $280 last March and since the most recent election, the Liberals are looking at re-introducing legislation that if convicted, drivers could lose three demerit points. In the meantime, cops have begun testing new tactics to catch a driver in the act of texting while driving.
Texting while behind the wheel is dangerous, but some drivers take it a step further and take driving selfies. Distracted pedestrians are a danger on the road as well.
Motor vehicle accidents happen and accident benefits are available to anyone involved in a motor vehicle accident regardless of who caused the accident. The personal injury and accident lawyers at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers have been dealing with all accident related issues throughout Ontario for over 45 years. We know how to get you the compensation that you deserve and get your life back in order after being in a car accident. Call us at 416-920-4242, set up a free consultation, and come speak with us.
Greg Neinstein
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