She has to be at work in 5 minutes, her cell phone rings - maybe it's her husband calling to say she forgot her lunch at home, or is it her boss wondering why she's not at work yet? Forget about letting it go to voicemail, it could be important! As she reaches for her purse and starts to rummage through it, looking for the ringing cell, she doesn’t see the traffic light change from green to red and drives right into the intersection. A few seconds later, after finding the cell phone, she looks up and screams, just before hitting another car in the intersection.
This scenario could be a reality that many drivers face on the road, as distracted driving in North America has increased with drivers multi-tasking behind the wheel. Accidents from distracted driving can occur for a number of reasons, including cell phone, text messaging and laptop usage, eating food or drinking beverages and worrying about children, who are fighting in the backseat.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the United States, distracted drivers killed about 6,000 people in 2008. Furthermore, a NHTSA study, conducted in the same year, found that during daylight hours, drivers in more than 800,000 vehicles are using their cell phones. In British Columbia, Canada, approximately 117 people die each year in the province and 1,400 people are sent to the hospital due to drivers who are not paying attention behind the wheel, according to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). In addition, ICBC attributes cell phone use while driving as the number one cause of distracted driving.
Oprah Winfrey’s ‘No Phone Zone’ Pledge and National ‘No Phone Zone Day’
Oprah Winfrey recently launched her ‘No Texting Campaign,’ in which she encourages drivers to limit cell phone usage in their cars and to not text message while driving. She is urging the public and celebrities alike to make this commitment by signing a ‘No Phone Zone’ pledge. The pledge gives drivers three options: the first is to not text while driving; the second is to not text while driving and only use hands-free calling if the driver needs to speak on their cell while driving; and the third option is to not text or use the phone while driving and if there is a need for the driver to use their cell, to pull over to a secure location.
Celebrities, business magnates and government officials, including Oscar winners Sandra Bullock, Jeff Bridges and Mo’Nique; Sir Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Group; and Rania Al-Abdullah, Queen of Jordan have signed the pledge and agreed to make their car a ‘No Phone Zone.’ At time of publishing, 236,447 people had signed the pledge online at Oprah.com.
“A call or text isn’t worth taking a life,” says Winfrey, as stated in a press release. “We must not allow more mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, sisters and brothers to die before we take action against distracted driving. Let’s put a stop to it now, by joining together for national ‘No Phone Zone Day,’ and by making our cars a ‘No Phone Zone.’”
The first national ‘No Phone Zone Day’ will take place on Friday, April 30, 2010 and The Oprah Winfrey Show’s episode will be dedicated to ending distracted driving, taking the campaign to the streets of US cities, including Washington and Los Angeles and the announcement of a new public service campaign.
Cell Phone and/or Text Messaging Laws in Canada and the United States
In Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador was the first province to ban the use of handheld cell phones while driving in 2003, and since this time, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island have followed suit with similar laws prohibiting handheld cell phones and/or text messaging while driving, however there is an exception for hands-free cell phones and devices.
In the United States, six states (California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington), the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands has a law that prohibits the use of handheld cell phones while driving, and 18 states, the District of Columbia and Guam banned text messaging for all drivers, while it’s a secondary ban in 5 other states, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.
Helpful Tips to Prevent or Minimize Distracted Driving
- Limit cell phone usage in the car – make calls or send texts before driving
- If your cell rings while driving, let the call go to voicemail – if you were expecting an important phone call, pull over to a safe location and return the call
- If there is a passenger in your vehicle, ask them to make or receive calls
Additional tips from The Canada Safety Council:
- Always keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel
- Ensure all children are properly buckled up
- Consume food and beverages when the car is safely stopped
- Review driving directions before you start
- Avoid involved conversations with passengers
- Use a hands-free device with your cell phone, keep conversations short and never take notes while driving
Sources:
Oprah Winfrey's Official Website - Pressroom - www.oprah.com
U.S. Department of Transportation - www.distraction.gov
Insurance Corporation of British Columbia - www.icbc.com
Governors Highway Safety Association - www.ghsa.org
The Canada Safety Council - http://safety-council.org
British Columbia Government (Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General) - http://www.gov.bc.ca/pssg/
Citytv - www.citytv.com
CTV British Columbia - www.ctvbc.ctv.ca
Digital Journal - www.digitaljournal.com
Hands-Free Info - http://handsfreeinfo.com
Renu Singh - A dynamic, outgoing and curious Vancouver-based freelance writer and editor who has interviewed Gene Simmons and met the Dalai Lama.
