ICBC

Current Road Safety Campaigns 2020

ICBC and police remind drivers to "take a break" from their phones

February 27, 2020

Since 2014, more than one in four fatal crashes on B.C. roads have involved distracted driving, which is why ICBC and police continue to combat this dangerous driving behaviour that claims 76 lives each year.*

This month, drivers will be hearing one message – take a break from your phone when you're behind the wheel. Not only is it dangerous, but the costs can add up quickly.

One distracted driving ticket is $368 plus four penalty points ($252) for a total of $620. And this number vastly increases to more than $2,500 if you get a second distracted driving ticket within 12 months. Yet tough penalities haven't deterred some drivers, with an average of 1,335 drivers receiving multiple tickets every year.

If you want to save your money for something more fun, remember to leave your phone alone while driving.

Police across B.C. are ramping up distracted driving enforcement during March, and community volunteers are setting up Cell Watch deployments to remind drivers to leave their phone alone.

Activate Apple's Do Not Disturb While Driving feature or what's similarly available on other devices. Free 'not while driving' decals are available at ICBC driver licensing offices and participating Autoplan broker offices for drivers to support the campaign and encourage other road users to leave their phones alone.

You can get tips and statistics in an infographic at icbc.com.