Karen Bowman and Tim Baillie of Drop It And Drive (DIAD) delivered their hard-hitting distracted driving presentation to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Vancouver September 21 and 22, 2015. The association brings together 189 local governments from around BC and six First Nations communities to form common ground and opinions on the complex issues that exist in BC communities.
Distracted Driving Presented at the 2015 UBCM Convention
Distracted driving is one of those issues that affect every community in BC.
Karen and Tim delivered a reality-based seminar from varying viewpoints and extensive experience on the deadly effects of distracted driving and distracted walking. Distracted driving fatalities have now exceeded drunk driving fatalities in many provinces. While distractions related to electronic devices are more readily identifiable and easily addressed in workplace policies, other areas of distraction are less known but just as risky, such as fatigue, complacency, hands-free and cognition. This seminar raised awareness about workplace safety among workers and supervisors using “science and real-life stories over statistics”. It was designed to help manage workplace risk factors and reduce injuries and fatalities by providing supervisors with resources and tools to create a “top down” corporate safety culture.
Distracted driving fatalities have now exceeded drunk driving fatalities in many provinces.
The Warnett Hallen LLP team is pleased to support the endeavours of DIAD to eliminate injuries and fatalities associated with distracted driving.
“Karen and Tim are reaching a very large, broad audience at conventions like the UBCM. We know their effort and dedication to this topic is going to make a difference in the way society views distracted driving,” reports Manjot Hallen, Personal Injury lawyer.
Distracted Driving Affects All Communities in BC
Karen reports that today’s session was delivered to participants within three levels of government and the delegates were given a tool kit to take back to their communities. Karen tells us, “It was encouraging to see the UBCM recognizing the importance of addressing distractions on the road in the context of civil government, by having Drop It And Drive present a clinic at their AGM convention.”
This is an important dialogue and one that will continue to be championed by Warnett Hallen LLP and DIAD.
If you have been injured in a car, bike or motorcycle accident due to the negligence of a distracted driver; call Warnett Hallen LLP for free advice on your ICBC claim.
