Don’t wreck it all with one text or call

That text is not as important as everything around you on the road. Feature story Sending that text might be fast but collisions happen even faster and can be life-altering or life-ending for you or other road users. In Ottawa between 2019 and 2023, 61 per cent of fatal and major injury collisions involved high-risk driving behaviour, which includes distracted driving. Every text can wait. Here are some strategies to avoid the temptation to use your phone or smartwatch:

• Plan your trip ahead so you don’t need to check for directions enroute
• Set your device to ‘Do not disturb’ while you’re driving
• If you have to check your device or respond, pull over somewhere safe, well off the road
• If you have a passenger, give them control of your device

A first conviction for distracted driving includes a fine of up to $1,000, three demerit points and a three-day license suspension. For novice drivers, with an M1, M2, G1 or G2 class license, the suspension is 30 days. There's a longer-term risk with distracted driving. When children see their parents or caregivers using phones while driving it increases the likelihood that the children will text and drive when they grow up. You need to lead by example. Resources

• Our website has tips on how to avoid dangerous driving distractions.
• The Ottawa Police Service’s Leave The Phone Alone webpage has a wealth of information on distraction-free driving, including for young people who are not yet licensed drivers, and a nation-wide campaign to ‘Take the Pledge’.

We are all vulnerable to distractions. Set a good example and eliminate distractions while you’re behind the wheel. You will avoid the costs of a distracted driving conviction and the personal trauma of a fatal or major injury collision. The City of Ottawa continues to make improvements to the safety of our roads and pathways with an emphasis on protecting vulnerable users – pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. The City’s 2020-2024 Road Safety Action Plan guides these engineering, education and enforcement initiatives. But even the safest transportation network requires that everyone follows the rules of the road for their mode of transportation.