How distracted driving affects you
Beyond the Road
Traffic safety does not start when you buckle in, just as it does not end when you lock your car in the garage. The effects of unsafe driving extend far beyond the road, involving many facets of our lives.
A recent study by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concluded that 8 out of every 10 collisions are caused by driver distraction. These collisions affect more than the cars and motorists involved. Collisions negatively affect the health of Canadians, our safety, our trade and tourism. Perhaps most importantly, they leave a lifelong impact on the friends and families of the loved ones who are seriously injured or killed in collisions.
Each year, hundreds of lives — and millions of health care dollars — are lost to road collisions. The Government of Canada estimates that economic losses caused by traffic collision-related health care costs and lost productivity are at least $10 billion annually. That's about 1% of Canada's GDP!
Local and provincial police officers devote time and resources to reporting every collision, investigating the incident, possibly charging the motorist, blocking the roadway, and sometimes delivering tragic news to families.
Congestion, and lane and road closures caused by collisions delay traffic, negatively affecting our trade and tourism. Today, 80% of Canada's trade — some $500 billion — travels by roads. Canada is also a popular tourist destination, with 65% of tourists travelling by personal vehicle.
Most importantly, the human suffering from road crashes is enormous. For every victim, there are family members, friends, colleagues, and communities who must cope with the physical and psychological consequences of the death, injury, or disability of a loved one. In 2004, 2,730 road users were killed in traffic collisions and almost 212,374 were injured. If you have lost a family member or friend in a collision, think about how your life would be different if that collision could have been prevented.
The suffering is in itself a reason to remain vigilant, but there are also tangible costs to society in direct health care and insurance costs, as well as lost productivity due to injury and psychological trauma.
With effective education and awareness of distracted driving, the number of collisions in Canada due to distracted drivers would be reduced, saving millions of dollars for health care, freeing up police resources to prevent other crimes, and keeping roads clear and safe to reduce shipping delays and free the way for tourists.