Distracted Driving Simulations make Real Life Impact

New drivers in the graduated licensing system are completely restricted from using devices such as Smartphones while driving, and for good reason – distracted driving causes more than 25% of crashes on British Columbia’s roads and highways. The most common distraction is the use of personal electronic devices.1

DriveWise BC students learn first-hand about the dangers of distracted driving by actually experiencing distracted driving on our simulators. In the safety of our classrooms, instructors get students to text, make a phone call and demonstrate how a variety of other unnecessary distractions can cause very dangerous results in real life.

Experiencing the reduced ability to drive safely while distracted, leaves a huge impact on our students. They actually see that driving distracted is a life-threatening risk to take and that experience stays with them. Many become advocates for distraction-free driving, which makes us very proud!

The DriveWise BC Approach to Preventing Distracted Driving

  1. Our interactive classrooms help students retain more information about distracted driving. Our classes are fun and engaging!
  2. We put students in a variety of simulated situations from different weather conditions to heavy traffic and highway driving while texting and talking on the phone. The results are always the same – driving errors that would be very serious in reality.
  3. Throughout their learning process in the classroom, on our simulators and in our vehicles, DriveWise BC students learn that driving is the only thing that should be done behind the wheel. It requires complete focus to be done safely.

Learning about  distracted driving before ever getting behind the wheel is so important. That’s why DriveWise BC has donated more than 1,000 hours of expert instructor time and use of our simulator to educate approximately 10,000 grade 10 students about the dangers of distracted and impaired driving through Island Health’s P.A.R.T.Y. Program.

 

– Kate Wells

 

 

 

1 Statistics in this post are from ICBC. Additional information about distracted driving is available on the ICBC website.

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