DriveSmartBC

Our lap dog loves to go for car rides! She's generous too because you are more than welcome to sit underneath her in the right front seat. The trouble is, this is definitely not a good place for her to ride in the car.

Occasionally I look at a driver around me in traffic and ask myself "what can they be thinking?" Today I wondered if the driver behind me was thinking at all! Road conditions could be described as typical BC winter driving, but this guy was so close that I couldn't see snow between the rear of my vehicle and the front of his.

In this video, Justin McNaull, AAA Public Affairs, discusses the risks posed by using a cell phone while driving. The video covers how the use of a cell phone behind the wheel can be a dangerous distraction, as well the fact that hands-free devices are not risk-free substitutes for handheld phones. It also offers tips on avoiding this kind of distraction.

Here are the top excuses that police heard from BC drivers who were caught using a hand-held device while driving in our province last month courtesy of ICBC:

The Road Safety Monitor 2010: Distracted Driving is a publication of an annual public opinion survey conducted by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation.

British Columbians recognize that texting or talking on a hand held cell phone while driving is a hazardous thing to do. Still, about one in six talk on a hand held cell phone and about one in ten text while driving. The rest of us say that we are irritated, angry, disappointed or worried when we see these people disregarding the law and our safety.

Have you ever met anyone that would admit to being less than a better than average driver? This is a question that I often ask even when I know what the answer will be.

I hope that an article about passing on the right might help at least some drivers understand the rules and help improve the driving community. I have made a point of keeping to the right side of the lane to try and prevent vehicles from passing.

One text or call could wreck it all! A humourous look at driving home the message about the perils of distracted driving by the folks at NHTSA and Pixar.

Welcome to day two of Canada's National Road Safety Week. Did you also know that we are about half way through the BC Provincial High Risk Driving Campaign? It's also the Year of Road Safety and the Decade of Action for Road Safety. You weren't aware? You're probably not alone.