Driving Tips > Safety Columns
Now it’s the law: no using cellphones while driving
Enforcement of Manitoba’s cellphone law will take effect on July 15, 2010.
When you’re driving, the safest thing to do is turn off your cellphone. But if you’re cellphone is turned on, here’s how you can stay within the law and avoid a $200 fine:
- use a hands-free device;
- let calls go to voicemail;
- have a passenger answer the call;
- don’t text while driving.
Driver distractions are the cause of 80 per cent of all collisions and hand-held cellphones are the number-one driver distraction:
- drivers who talk on cellphones are four times more likely to get into a collision;
- drivers who text while driving are 23 times more likely to get into a collision;
- using a cellphone while driving reduces your attention and concentration by 37 per cent;
- drivers who are texting spend nearly five seconds looking at their cellphones – enough time at typical highway speeds to cover more than the length of a football field.
For more information, watch The 60-Second Driver on CTV and check out the following sections on our website:
- Driver Distractions in Driving Tips
- You can access the 60-Second video on Driver Distractions directly
