[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/warnetthallen.com\/distracted-driving-leading-cause-car-accidents\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/warnetthallen.com\/distracted-driving-leading-cause-car-accidents\/","headline":"Distracted Driving Is a Leading Cause of Car Accidents","name":"Distracted Driving Is a Leading Cause of Car Accidents","description":"CTV News reports that Ontario has recently\u00a0implemented stricter distracted driving fines, now at $490. New rules have also been implemented to protect cyclists, students and tow truck drivers. These go into effect on Tuesday as part of Ontario\u2019s new\u00a0rules of the road with stiffer distracted driving fines. BC is at the lower end of the […]","datePublished":"2015-09-03","dateModified":"2025-02-12","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/warnetthallen.com\/author\/warnetthallen\/#Person","name":"Warnett Hallen LLP","url":"https:\/\/warnetthallen.com\/author\/warnetthallen\/","identifier":8,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/05de9a8db316c941221d843d580903732966b9f3f8c338734c57a8535aba495e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/05de9a8db316c941221d843d580903732966b9f3f8c338734c57a8535aba495e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Warnett Hallen LLP","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/warnetthallen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/logo.png","url":"https:\/\/warnetthallen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/logo.png","width":406,"height":65}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/warnetthallen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/top-distracted-driving-conditions.gif","url":"https:\/\/warnetthallen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/top-distracted-driving-conditions.gif","height":"332","width":"600"},"url":"https:\/\/warnetthallen.com\/distracted-driving-leading-cause-car-accidents\/","about":["Accident & Injury","Car Accident Lawyer","Car Accidents","Distracted Driving"],"wordCount":413,"keywords":["CAA Statistics","demerits","Distracted driving","Drop It And Drive","personal injury","Suzanne Anton","tiered penalty system"],"articleBody":"CTV News reports that Ontario has recently\u00a0implemented stricter distracted driving fines, now at $490. New rules have also been implemented to protect cyclists, students and tow truck drivers. These go into effect on Tuesday as part of Ontario\u2019s new\u00a0rules of the road with stiffer distracted driving fines.BC is at the lower end of the fine scale at $167. But with the recent month long B.C. Government\u2019s distracted driving consultation to gauge the attitude and opinions of B.C. residents, it may only be a matter of time before B.C. drivers have stiffer fines and penalties.Distracted driving consultationThe input from residents and stakeholders will be analyzed before the government decides whether higher fines or another course of action is implemented. Based on the data, 96% of respondents want to see stiffer penalties and 90% are concerned about distracted driving.Tiered distracted driving penaltiesAccording to the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), distracted driving accounts for 80% of car accidents. \u201cWhat if the distracted driver who caused the injury or death was the one who had to inform the family?\u201d asks Karen Bowman, Founder & Executive Director, Drop It And Drive. She also suggests following Alaska\u2019s multi-tiered penalty structure for distracted driving, where repeat offenders receive increasingly higher fines. The system in Alaska is such that if a driver kills someone while distracted they can face a $250,000 US fine and up to 20 years in prison.Survey: distractions are not just in the carAccording to the CAA, distractions are not just inside the car. Surprisingly, it\u2019s often activities outside the car that can be a higher source of distraction to the driver such as pedestrians, cyclists, construction, loud noises and even scenery.Driving Distraction Infographics provided by CAA\u201cWe are hoping that Suzanne Anton, Attorney General of B.C. will have some concrete decisions regarding the distracted laws in Canada \u2013 sooner than later. People\u2019s behaviour is not changing and we need laws and fines that will discourage people from causing car accidents in B.C. and risking lives,\u201d says Paul Warnett, Personal Injury Lawyer in Vancouver.As car accident lawyers here at Warnett Hallen LLP in Vancouver, we are proud to sponsor Drop It And Drive. Prevention is better than having to see the injuries and personal trauma of those who seek our legal services to help with their ICBC accident claim for car accidents in B.C.Resources:CAACell phone notifications may be driving you to distraction"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Distracted Driving Is a Leading Cause of Car Accidents","item":"https:\/\/warnetthallen.com\/distracted-driving-leading-cause-car-accidents\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]