Distracted driving accounts for more than 25% of traffic deaths in Alberta: report
Alberta is leading the country when it comes to deaths from distracted driving, accounting for more than 25 per cent of fatal collisions in the province.
The report, published by HelloSafe after compiling the most recent statistics from Transport Canada, Alberta government, Statistics Canada and the Canadian Automobile Association, says 76 Albertans died from distracted driving in 2021, 30 more than in 2020.
The company, which compares financial products such as insurance and credit investments, says that distracted driving is also a deadly problem in Canada, accounting for 19.7 per cent of traffic-related deaths.
- Sign up for breaking news alerts from CTV News, right at your fingertips
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
"In Canada, distracted driving is the second biggest cause of traffic deaths after speeding," HelloSafe said in its report.
Despite Alberta leading the statistics, HelloSafe said the punishment for distracted driving is the lowest among all Canadian provinces.
In Alberta, if you are caught driving distracted, you would be fined $287 and given three demerits.
The stiffest penalties are in Ontario, where a first conviction carries a fine of between $615 and $1,000, three demerits and a three-day licence suspension.
A second conviction results in a $615 to $2,000 fine, six demerits and a seven-day suspension while a third and each subsequent conviction would be a fine of $615 to $3,000, six demerits and a 30-day licence suspension.
Distracted driving is a lot more than just texting, emailing or using your phone, the company says.
If you're programming a GPS, eating or drinking, reading, grooming or watching videos while behind the wheel, you could also be pulled over.
HelloSafe says 13,898 fines were issued in Alberta in 2022, representing $3,988,726.
CTV News has reached out to the Alberta government for comment on the report.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Slovakia's populist prime minister shot in assassination attempt, shocking Europe before elections
The Slovak defence minister says doctors are fighting for the life of the country's prime minister, who was shot multiple times after a political event Wednesday afternoon.
Transport Canada's UFO 'lead' planned to meet with U.S. intel officials, called info requests a 'wild goose chase'
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver handed a cell phone ticket for using points app in McDonald's drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
'The Fly' has become notorious in France after a brazen escape. What's his criminal history?
A prisoner nicknamed “The Fly” has become notorious in France overnight after a daring and bloody escape from a prison convoy in Normandy that left two guards dead.
BREAKING Ontario's 'crypto king' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
BREAKING Barge hits a bridge in Texas, damaging the structure and causing an oil spill
A barge slammed into a bridge pillar in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a smaller and separate island that is home to a university, officials said. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Person responsible for 1996 drugging of 'Titanic' crew likely not a local: Halifax police
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
Latest updates on the biggest wildfires burning in Canada
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
OPINION Your attention span is shrinking, studies say. Here's how to stay focused: Sandee LaMotte
Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology -- a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.