OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC is throwing its support behind the Leave the Phone Alone road safety awareness campaign initiated by the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA).
According to the CCMTA, drivers who use hand-held devices when they are behind the wheel are four times more likely to be involved in an accident serious enough to cause injury, and in 80% of collisions, the driver had looked away from the road three seconds prior to the crash.
The CRTC is urging drivers to use their mobile devices responsibly and to avoid talking on the phone, texting or checking messages on social media networks while behind the wheel. It also encouraged all Canadians to join in with the organizations and individuals that support this campaign.
“With more than 28 million wireless subscribers in Canada, the use of mobile devices has been growing fast”, said CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais, in a statement. “We encourage Canadians to put them aside when they are behind the wheel. A moment of inattention can cause a serious accident and change lives. We are therefore proud to support the Leave the Phone Alone campaign and urge all wireless service providers to do the same.”
