Many doctors at the hospital emergency departments across Ontario, have a message to the drivers: don’t text and drive, arrive alive.
The road hazard has become increasingly common with the widespread use of smart phones. Our hospitals have seen their fair share of the accidents causes by texting.
Even with new laws that have set fines for this behavior, many drivers have failed to listen and the results are evident in the emergency room. In addition to the safety hazards it poses, texting and driving can invalidate your insurance coverage in the event of an accident, leaving you personally liable for expenses and damages.
Studies have shown that five seconds of texting and driving at highway speeds is the equivalent of driving blindfolded for the distance of a football field.
Some suggestions: have a passenger take a call or send a message on your behalf. If you have the habit of checking your phone frequently, try putting it out of reach while you are in the car. If you need to take an urgent call, pull over. That may mean the difference between driving home or to the emergency room. Don’t text and drive. Be kind to yourself and others on the road.