Buckle up and concentrate: March is the month to reduce distracted driving and be diligent about seat belts

BC Highway Patrol

2025-02-27 10:27 PST

Distracted driving has become such a problem in BC that it’s now at least as deadly as driving while impaired**. That’s why in the month of March, BC Highway Patrol is focusing on education through enforcement regarding the double dangers of driving while distracted and failing to wear your seat belt (also known as occupant restraint).

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Distracted driving, along with speeding and impaired driving, is consistently one of the top three contributors to fatal crashes in BC, says Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. We often hear drivers ask for a warning. Distracted driving is so risky that your warning will be a violation ticket. The real consequences would be to get hurt or worse.

While distraction from electronic devices is relatively recent, BC Highway Patrol still finds a surprising number of people who are not using seat belts even though restraints have been mandatory since 1977.

The evidence is clear: If you do not wear your seatbelt, a totally survivable collision will often become fatal, says Corporal McLaughlin, and while securing your child with a car seat requires a little planning, your child’s life is worth it.

An average of 53 people are dying every year in BC because they were not wearing seat belts properly. The BC Motor Vehicle Act says that you must wear your seatbelt properly with the shoulder belt across your chest (not under your arm), and the lap belt across your pelvic bones. Children under the age of nine must be secured in appropriate car seats or booster seats depending on their age and size.

For more information about car seats, seatbelts and distracted driving, check www.icbc.com.

**All statistics are according to ICBC collision data collected between 2014 and 2023.

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Email: bchp_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: bc-cb.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/highway-patrol

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