BCAA asks: is our new distracted driving law working?

B.C.'s cell phone law hits the six month mark: have we changed our habits behind the wheel?

BURNABY, BC, June 29 /CNW/ - How many B.C. drivers made a resolution this past New Years to comply with the new distracted driving law? And, how many are sticking to their plans? Six months after the introduction of the new law prohibiting B.C. drivers from using a hand-held phone to talk or text while driving, the British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) is conducting an online survey to find out how drivers have changed their ways - or not.

BCAA's distracted driving survey is open to all B.C. drivers, and is available on the homepage at www.bcaa.com . The five-minute anonymous survey asks drivers how the new law has affected their driving behaviour, what they observe other drivers doing, how effectively the new law is being publicized and enforced, and what kinds of distracting behaviours - besides cell phone use - concern them most.

"There appeared to be strong compliance right after the introduction of the new cell phone restrictions, but it's not uncommon today to see or hear of people sneaking a call or glancing at a text while driving," says Trace Acres, BCAA's director of Corporate Communications and Government Relations. "The results of our distracted driving survey will be shared with government and law enforcement agencies to help them understand the impact of the law and adjust their publicity and enforcement strategies, if necessary."

In an April 2010 member survey, BCAA members ranked "road safety" as their number one driving concern. And, the issue of driver distractions was BCAA members' third most pressing safety concern, behind speeding and intersection infractions. In a survey specifically about cell phone use conducted by BCAA during the summer of 2009, 90 per cent of the 7,300 respondents were in support of cell phone restrictions.

About BCAA

BCAA is the largest organization of its kind in B.C., with over 100 years experience and gross annual sales of nearly $400 million from its membership, insurance and travel businesses. A BCAA Membership can be found in the wallets of 790,000 British Columbians and in one-in-four B.C. households. For the past two years, BCAA has received the highest score in Canada for home insurance customer satisfaction in a J.D. Power and Associates study. And, for the past four years, BCAA has been named one the 50 Best Employers in Canada by international HR consultants Hewitt Associates and the Globe & Mail's Report on Business magazine. To learn more about BCAA's products, services and member advocacy, visit www.bcaa.com. For more information on the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation visit www.tsf-bcaa.com.

For further information: or to request an interview, please contact: Niela Melanio, BCAA Public Affairs Advisor, Office: 604-268-5342 (M-F between 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.), Cell: 778-228-8859 (any time), Email: [email protected]