Distracted driving puts Canadian road users at risk. Learn about distracted driving, how you can avoid it, and what is happening in Canada to prevent distraction on our roads.

Distracted driving happens when a driver’s attention is taken away from the driving task because they are focused on something else. This could be, for example:

• Texting,
• Talking on the phone or to passengers,
• Eating or drinking, or
• Using the entertainment or navigation system.

The risk of a collision goes up when a driver’s eyes and attention are taken off the road. This is because distraction impairs performance and reduces a driver’s awareness. It makes drivers slower to notice and less able to safely respond to critical events on the road. Or they may miss them entirely.