Six months after B.C.'s new distracted driving law has been in place, a newly-release survey from the British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) suggests most drivers are no longer using hand-held phones.
But it's a good news, bad news scenario as most survey respondents indicated they frequently see others continuing to drive while holding a phone to their ear.
The survey was conducted on-line via BCAA's website and monthly e-newsletter between June 22 and July 9, with 7,576 drivers participating.
Of the two-thirds of drivers who said they talked on a cell phone while driving before the Jan. 1 law, 84 per cent said they did so using a hand-held phone. And of those drivers who used a hand-held phone before Jan. 1, 21 per cent said they have switched to hands-free, 35 per cent said they now pull over to make or take a call, and 28 per cent said they have stopped using a phone while driving altogether. Nine per cent said they were using a hands-free device before the law and continue to do so. Only six per cent said they still talk using a hand-held phone, but most do so less than before the law.
On the flip-side, 77 per cent of survey respondents said they still observe other drivers talking on a hand-held phone more than once a week, and 37 per cent said they see drivers texting on a hand-held device more than once a week. In addition, three-quarters of those surveyed said they feel the chances of being caught for texting or talking on a hand-held while driving is either unlikely or very unlikely.
BCAA has shared the results of the survey with police, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, and the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles for their review in assessing enforcement and opportunities for continued public education.
