April marks Distracted Driving Awareness Month, a time for Manitobans to reflect on their dangerous habits behind the wheel that can lead to life-threatening consequences. With an increasing number of road collisions linked to distractions, experts warn that the risks are higher than ever.
The many forms of distracted driving
Tara Seel, Media and Public Relations Lead for Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) emphasizes that distracted driving is more than just texting or talking on the phone.
“Distracted driving takes a lot of different forms,” Seel says. “It can be children distracting you in the back seat, an intense conversation with a passenger, a pet in the vehicle, it could be putting on makeup, eating a sandwich, or dropping something. All of those things take your eyes off the road and if you take your eyes off the road for even a second, that could be the difference between preventing a collision or causing one.”
There has been an alarming increase in distracted driving on Manitoba roads, marked by a rise in traffic violations linked to this behavior. In 2024, there were more licence suspensions for distracted driving than in the previous five years. 2,817 drivers had their licences suspended for three days for distracted driving, and 150 people saw a seven-day suspension.
Rising numbers in Portage
Portage la Prairie has also been affected, with 13 serious collisions being attributed to distracted driving in the past twelve months and these numbers are continuing to grow each year. Many people don't recognize distracted driving as equally hazardous as impaired or high-speed driving but losing focus while driving can have the same deadly consequences.
“When you make a choice not to drive impaired, that's a big choice that you're making because you're well aware of the consequences of those types of things. When it comes to distracted driving, people often think ‘It’s just one second.’ That makes people feel safe in that decision-making, but we're here to tell you that the numbers show it's not safe to do so," she explains.
"As soon as you lose your focus on the road, you lose that ability to respond to things that happen unexpectedly, which, if you're a driver, you know happens frequently. A child could run into the road, or a car could enter an intersection. If you lose your focus on the road, you're losing that ability to respond.”
Tips for safe driving
Seel says the best way to avoid distracted driving is to set yourself up for success every time you get behind the wheel. When it comes to phones, activate the ‘Do Not Disturb’ setting which prevents a driver from even seeing texts, calls, or emails until they have already arrived safely.
Seel also stresses the importance of ensuring pets are safely secured in vehicles, noting that they can be a source of distraction as well.
“As much as we think that pets like to have their head sticking out the window, I think they enjoy being safe a lot more. Put them in a crate, carrier, or a seat belt harness, so they're not able to freely move around the vehicle.”
Seel also has tips for parents who might take their eyes off the road to hand out snacks or break up a sibling squabble.
“You can put a movie on for them if you have a display system in your car or have a tablet or activities for them to do. It allows you to keep your focus on the road.”
Financial and legal consequences
Distracted driving also carries significant financial and legal repercussions. A fine for distracted driving can cost $672. Offenders may also face a five-level reduction on their driver safety rating (DSR) scale which has long-term consequences.
“It takes one year to go up one level by driving safely with no infractions. If you're dropping five levels and then it takes you five years to get back, that's 10 years of reduction on your DSR and 10 years that you're paying more money for your insurance premiums.”
Additionally, repeat offenders are at risk for more severe penalties, including longer license suspensions or even criminal charges if their distraction leads to a serious accident.
According to MPI, distracted driving is the number one cause of fatalities on Manitoba roadways. As Distracted Driving Awareness Month continues, MPI hopes to remind the people of Portage, and Manitoba, that their actions behind the wheel matter, and a minor distraction can have lifelong consequences.
“Our main message is ‘focus on the road—lives depend on it.”