Take action against distractions distractions distractions Information and resource kit Ministry of Transportation
Motor vehicle collisions are the #1 killer of young people in
Ontario. The majority of these tragedies are totally
preventable.
This guide will help you raise awareness and encourage your
friends and loved ones to take action against distractions.
1 … information so what’s it all about 2 … stats who doesn’t like statistics 3 … interactive games illustrating the point in a fun way 4 … resources should you need more 2
What’s with Distracted Driving Many drivers tend to view driving, especially in familiar environments, as a simple
everyday task that requires minimal attention.
But collisions often occur when unexpected situations happen in familiar
environments.
Distracted driving is engaging in any activity other than
driving while operating a motor vehicle.
Potential distractions include:
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Distractions can
Using handheld devices
come from almost
selecting music
anything that makes
you look away from
talking to passengers
the road, move in
using GPS
your seat, or think
reading maps, ads, etc.
about
things other
fixing hair, putting on make-up or jewellery
than driving.
eating or drinking
making lists
tending to children or pets
staring at pedestrians, collisions, etc.
daydreaming or thinking about something stressful
reaching for items in bag, glove box, pockets or from behind seats
Driving is a complex task that involves:
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Operating a heavy piece of machinery at high speeds
Navigating across changing terrain
Calculating speeds and distances
Responding to other drivers, signs, signals and obstacles around you
At 60 km/hr a car travels 50 metres – half a football field – in just 3 seconds. 3
Good drivers need to quickly:
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Scan for and detect hazards
Process the need to respond
Decide on an action
Act to avoid the crash
The 3 main types of
distraction:
Visual – taking your eyes off
the road
Manual – taking your hands
off the wheel
Cognitive – taking your mind
off driving
Distractions slow your reaction time, which means it will take you longer to recognize
potential hazards and longer to react.
Being distracted can also cause you to:
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Straddle lanes
Fail to recognize traffic lights, signs, pedestrians, cyclists
or debris on the road
Speed up or slow down
A recent study shows that when drivers take their eyes off the road for more than 2 seconds their crash risk doubles. 4
Here’s the law In Ontario, It is illegal for drivers to talk, text, type, dial, or email using hand-held cell
phones and other hand-held communications and entertainment devices.
All drivers may use hand-held devices to call 9-1-1
If you need to use your cell phone in an emergency — a situation that could result in
a danger to your safety or the safety of others if it is not corrected without delay —
consider the following tips:
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Pull over safely if conditions allow.
Keep emergency calls as brief as possible.
Alert the caller that you are on the road.
End conversations immediately if driving conditions or situations become
hazardous (for example, bad weather, roadway construction, high-speed or
high-volume traffic).
 Be alert to situations on the road where a cell
phone's radio frequency and electronics may be
potentially harmful such as: construction zones
where blasting is occurring, or at gas stations/fuelling
areas.
Drivers who endanger others because of
any distraction may also be charged with
careless driving and on conviction, will
automatically receive six demerit points, fines
of up to $2,000 and/or a jail term of six
months. In some cases, your licence may be
suspended for up to two years. You may even
be charged with dangerous driving (a criminal
offence). A driver who uses a cell phone is 4 times more likely to be in a crash than drivers who are focused on the road. 5
How to take Action against Distraction Turn your phone off when driving.
Avoid the temptation to talk or text on your phone; simply turn it off while you are
driving.
Texting and driving don’t mix.
There is no way to safely drive while texting. And it’s illegal. Texting that begins at a
stoplight often carries over to when traffic is moving again. Even if you are proficient
enough that you don’t take your eyes off the road, your mind is off the road, and your
hands are off the wheel. JUST DON’T DO IT!
Keep a safe following distance.
Leaving plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you increases
visibility and gives more time to react to what’s happening in front of you, reducing
risk to you and your passengers.
Clear your mind.
You cannot focus on driving if your mind is on school or family pressure, or your todo list. Take a moment before you drive to clear your mind.
Have a plan.
Don’t wait until you are driving to plan your route. Consider using navigation devices
with voice directions. Pull over to a safe location if you need to re-program your
navigation system or consult printed directions.
Help others help themselves.
Make it a practice when you call someone’s cell phone to ask if they are driving. If
the response is “yes,” take it upon yourself to call back later or ask them to call you
back when they are not driving. If everyone did this, we would have way less
distracted drivers on the road.
Speak up.
If you’re a passenger and the driver is not focusing entirely on the road, don’t be
afraid to speak up! Offer to help with directions or even make a phone call on their
behalf. You’re looking out for your own safety, as well as that of the driver and those
sharing the road with you.
Fine tune your tunes.
Digital music devices (iPod, MP3 players) can pose a major distraction. Pre-set a
driving playlist to provide continuous tunes without the need for adjustments.
Buckle yourself in on every trip.
It’s your best defence should you have a “run-in” with distracted drivers sharing the
road with you.
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Passengers can do their part As a passenger you have greater influence on your driver than you may realize.
If you are in the vehicle with a distracted driver…offer assistance, “I can do that” or
“Let’s take a break”.
If you are on the phone with someone who’s driving…end the call quickly, “Let’s talk
when you’re not on the road”.
Distractions…a problem for pedestrians too Research shows that distractions can also have a negative effect on pedestrian
safety as well. Distracted pedestrians are less attentive to traffic, leave too little time
to cross the road safely and before the next arriving vehicle, and experience more
collisions and close calls with oncoming traffic.
With more pedestrians using cell phones and other distracting devices there is an
increasing need to remind pedestrians to pay attention, especially when crossing the
street. Pedestrians should never assume that a driver sees them.
Source: Canadian Wireless
Telecommunications
Association
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Suggested Campaign Activities The following ideas can help you raise awareness in your school and community:
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Hold a True/False Quiz and enter responses into a draw for prizes.
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Obtain permission from your administration to put up ‘Smart Drivers Just
Drive’ and ‘Take Action against Distractions’ messages at the entrances and
exits of your schools
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Create a school-specific banner containing a project slogan and school
mascot or logo to be displayed at special events and around the school
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Daily announcements can provide tips for taking action against distractions
and to promote the fact that Smart Drivers Just Drive.
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Set up a Smart Drivers Just Drive display booth – use videos and games to
attract attention and to prove that true ‘multi-tasking’ is a myth.
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Have students and staff sign a pledge and commit to take action against
distractions. Check out www.leavethephonealone.ca to pledge online.
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Take part in a school assembly to spread your message
Illustrating the point…games & resources Sample Pledge
I PLEDGE TO DRIVE FOCUSED
I will not text while driving.
I will let calls go to voicemail when I
am driving and will safely pull over to
retrieve messages and make calls.
I will quickly end any calls if the person
I called is driving.
Signature
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IDEA! Produce an enlarged version of the pledge, have students and staff put their
signature on it and keep it displayed in a high-visibility area.
IDEA! Enter pledges into a draw to win a prize
IDEA! If your school has a uniform, ask school administration if students and staff
who sign the pledge can dress casual or wear jeans on a certain day to show
support for your efforts to take action against distractions.
Displays & Assemblies Use videos from YouTube on the topic of distraction to help reach your audience.
RESOURCE: Check out the following videos
National Safety Council video “One Call Can Change Everything” at:
www.youtube.com Search keyword: National Safety Council
Shy-anne Hovorka video “Too Young Too Late”
www.youtube.com Seach keyword: shysmusic
OPP Video “Don’t Tempt Fate…That Text Can Wait!”
www.youtube.com Search keyword: OPP distracted driving
Sample Announcements: Arrive alive. Status updates, tweets and texts can wait until you are done with the
drive. Remember Smart Drivers Just Drive
Keep your friends & family safe. If you call someone and they're driving, end the call
and talk later. Remember Smart Drivers Just Drive
Driving takes your full attention. Take a minute and clear your mind before you hit
the road. Remember Smart Drivers Just Drive
Take a moment to focus on those counting on you to get home safely before
focusing on something other than driving. Remember Smart Drivers Just Drive
If you're a passenger and the driver's not focused on the road, speak up! Remember
Smart Drivers Just Drive
IDEA! Use the list of ways to ‘Take Action Against Distractions’ as daily
announcements
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Demonstrations & Games: Often there are only seconds to recognize a hazard and act to avoid a crash. The
following games can help demonstrate how distractions can chip away at these
precious seconds. (Remember to ask for permission from school administration)
TIP! Be sure to practice these demonstrations before doing them in front of
an audience.
Demonstration #1: Can You Scan?
Prepare
Set the stage with the three flip charts in front of and facing two chairs about 4 feet
away – one to the right of the chairs, one in front of the chairs, and one to the left of
the chairs.
Draw a long road from the bottom to the top of each flip chart. The road should be
about 6 inches wide. Decorate the road with trees and a house. Draw a circle on the
road to represent an approaching car.
Activity
Ask for two volunteers with cell phones and have them exchange numbers. Have
volunteer 1 sit in the chair while volunteer 2 waits for further instruction.
Hand volunteer 1 the flashlight and instruct her to turn on her cell phone, place it on
the chair beside her, and answer it if anyone calls. Explain that she is now in the
driver's seat. Instruct her to shine the flashlight at each of the circles starting on the
left, going to the center, and then to the right. Have her repeat the exercise until told
to stop.
As volunteer 1 performs this activity, ask everyone to imagine that she is a driver
scanning left, forward, and right to notice hazards and avoid crashes.
Then whisper to volunteer 2 to send a funny text to volunteer 1 (You may prepare
the text beforehand).
Watch the flashlight go all over the place when volunteer 1 receives the text
message and starts reading the joke. The more interesting the text, the more
distracting it will be.
Discuss: What happened? Where was the driver looking when she answered
the cell phone? Probably at the phone, not at the road
What happened to the light? Probably went all over the road
What happened to the scanning? Probably stopped because the driver was
focused on one direction
Could something distract you while you are driving?
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Exercise #2: Spilling Spells Trouble
TIP! Store the objects you will use in a cardboard box out of audience view. Have a
mop and towels ready for clean-up.
Activity
Ask a volunteer to join you in the front of the room. Give him a cup of water to hold in
one hand. Show him a small ball and tell him you are going to ask him to catch it
with the other hand.
Turn your back. Ask the volunteer if he is ready, count for three seconds, and then
turn and throw a large ball. Remember, he is expecting it to be the same small ball
you showed him.
Discuss: What happened? Could something unexpected happen to you while
you were driving?
If you do not get any responses from that initial question, discuss these points that
are sure to get the audience talking:
Never trust another driver.
It is hard to do two things at once.
It only took me 3 seconds to confuse you and cause a mishap (spilling the water).
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Exercise #3: Is That Call Worth It?
Prepare:
Set the stage with three flip charts in front of and facing a chair about 4 feet away –
one to the right of the chair, one in front of the chair, and one to the left of the chair.
Draw a long road from the bottom to the top of each flip chart. The road should be
about 6 inches wide. Decorate the road with trees and a house. Draw a circle on the
road to represent an approaching car.
Place a pencil and a napkin on a small table beside the volunteer. (Note that it will
be hard to write on a paper napkin with a pencil.)
Activity: Ask a teen with a cell phone to sit in the chair. Ask him for his cell phone
number. Give him a flashlight.
Explain that he is now in the driver's seat. Instruct him to shine the flashlight at each
of the circles starting on the left, going to the center, and then to the right. Have him
repeat the exercise until told to stop.
Call the teen's cell phone. Tell him you have the number of where the party is going
to be tonight, your battery is low, and he has to copy the number down quickly. Tell
your volunteer to go to: "29947 Ironical Street, Bastion Heights - it's the third house
from the corner on the left."
Discuss: What happened? Could something like this happen to you while you
were driving?
What would you tell your friend on the phone if you hit something?
What are possible solutions? It's hard to do two things at once.
Also ask the audience to remember a difficult cell phone conversation and to think
about what would have happened if they had received it while driving. If no one
gives any examples, ask them to consider these possible scenarios:
• your boyfriend/ girlfriend started a fight with you
• your mother or father yelled at you
• your friend was telling you a really good story
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We know that distractions can be just as dangerous for pedestrians as they are for
drivers. Use this activity to help spread the message!
Interactive Activity on Texting and Walking
Purpose:
 To promote awareness that walking and texting can be dangerous
 To deliver the message that our brains are not wired to multi-task, so when
we try to do two things that require our full attention, they compete for our
brain’s attention and we don’t do either one very well
 To make a linkage between texting and walking and texting and driving
(optional)
Props:
 Masking tape
 Strong, thick ribbon (or you can use a tie)
 Buzzer (optional)
 Two cell phones (participants usually have these)
Preparation:
 Using masking tape, draw out an obstacle course on the floor as such the
example below:
s
t
a
r
t
Videos:
 Use as Ice-breaker:
o Humorous video of woman texting and walking into a water fountain
o Serious video of teens texting and boy being hit
 Open it up to discussion of their own experiences
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Activity:
 Ask for two volunteers
 Tie their legs together (like a 3-legged race) using ribbon
 Tell them that they have 2 tasks to do and let them figure out how best to do it
o Tasks: walk the obstacle course without stepping on any of the
obstacles or touching the outside lines, and text the “Old MacDonald”
song
 Ask the audience what they think the outcome is going to be
o Some will predict that both will fall
o Some will predict that one will stop to text while the other is dragging
them along
 Start the volunteers at one end and let them walk the course (*this is not a
race) (**Note that organizers should keep an eye out and be ready to catch a
volunteer should he/she fall so they don’t injure themselves.)
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Each time they step on an obstacle or the outside line, buzz the buzzer (or if
you don’t have one just count), and you may request that they start over
again (depending on the time frame you have), or you may just keep count of
the times you buzz.
Eventually, they should figure out that the proper way to do both tasks is to
walk the obstacle course together as a team, and then text the Old
Macdonald song once they arrive to the finish line.
Videos:
 Monkey Business Illusion video
 Rick Mercer rant video on driver distraction
 Open up to discussion on the dangers of walking and texting, and if the
audience is older, make linkage to texting and driving
Pledge:
 Talk about the “Leave the Phone Alone” pledge on Transport Canada’s
website, and encourage them to talk to their parents to take the pledge (or if
they drive, to go on and take the pledge themselves):
http://www.leavethephonealone.ca/pledge.php
Suggested video links:
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Woman Texting and falls into fountain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPpzj4PjNjU
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Fatal Collision due to texting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck_0XkJhd5c
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The Monkey Business Illusion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQmdoK_ZfY
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Rick Mercer’s Rant on Distraction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHXtXY-EtMI
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Transport Canada « Leave the Phone Alone » / « Laisse Faire le Cellulaire »
website : http://www.leavethephonealone.ca/pledge.php
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Want More Info? Check out:
 Ministry of Transportation: www.ontario.ca/eyesontheroad
 Transport Canada: www.gc.tc.ca
Order Resources:
 Eyes on the road, hands on the wheel - information card
 Smart Drivers Just Driver - brochure
Order from: Publications Ontario
Online: www.publications.serviceontario.ca
Phone: 416.326.5300 / 800.668.9938 (Mon. to Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
www.ontario.ca/eyesontheroad 15