KANETIX.ca asks Drivers to take the Pledge to not be #DistractedToDeath

Take the pledge at DistractedToDeath.com and for each pledge, KANETIX.ca will donate $1 towards educating teens about the dangers of distracted driving

TORONTO, Aug. 20, 2014 /CNW/ - KANETIX.ca, where drivers go to shop for and compare multiple car insurance rates, is asking Canada's drivers to take the pledge to not drive distracted. For each pledge, KANETIX.ca will donate $1 towards educating teens about the dangers of distracted driving. The target is to raise $10,000 for Teens Learn To Drive, a non-profit whose mission is to reduce death and injury caused by traffic crashes.

Distracted Driving. We All Do It.

Distracted driving contributed to more road fatalities than both speeding and impaired driving in Ontario last year, a trend the OPP predicts will be standard by 2016. Yet, according to a KANETIX.ca poll, eight in 10 Canadian motorists confess to regularly having at least one bad habit while driving, including eating, talking or text messaging, putting on make-up, and routinely taking their eyes off the road. These habits come at a cost – whether it's a fine, an accident, or worse, a life.

Talking on the phone and texting while driving are well-known driver distractions, but there are others that can be just as dangerous:

• 89% of Canadians feel children in the car can be a distraction while driving; so while a baby's cry may signal you to turn around, when you're driving you need to fight the urge and keep your eyes forward. If the baby needs your attention, pull off the road to a safe location.
• 39% of Canadians eat or drink behind the wheel, taking their focus away from the task of driving (and a hand off the steering wheel).
• 7% of Canadians admit to applying make-up while behind the wheel, and personal grooming while driving is also distracted driving.
• Driver distraction (like changing the radio station) is a factor in about four million motor vehicle crashes in North America each year.

KANETIX.ca and its employees ask drivers across Canada to go to DistractedToDeath.com to take the pledge, declaring they commit to avoid a distraction—any distraction—from taking their attention away from driving.

"At the end of the day, our goal is to continually educate drivers on safe driving practices.  Distracted driving is one of the most dangerous driving behaviours we have on our roads today and we feel that raising awareness on this issue will save lives," explained Janine White, Vice President of marketplaces at KANETIX. "Driving on its own is complicated enough, and distractions layer in a whole new level of complexity, making the roads less safe for everyone: other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists."

About KANETIX®
Launched in October 1999, KANETIX was Canada's first online insurance marketplace and today provides over a million quotes per year to consumers looking for insurance, as well as comparisons for mortgage rates and credit cards.

The KANETIX.ca comparison service is a one-stop shopping environment for consumers. Each day, thousands visit the KANETIX website to comparison shop their various financial needs. Shoppers choose what they want to compare, obtain a quotation and complete an online application or, with the help of KANETIX connect with the provider to purchase or apply for the product over the phone.

Through its Software as a Service team, KANETIX is also the leading provider of online insurance quotation technology, developing online quotation systems, mobile solutions, actuarial tools and websites for many of Canada's largest insurance brands.

SOURCE: Kanetix

For media inquiries, please contact: Tara Bolger, BlueSky Communications Inc., t: 416.929.2052, e: [email protected]