First responders in Estevan are teaming up to stress the dangers of texting while driving.
The Estevan Police Service, the Estevan Fire and Rescue Service and the Estevan Emergency Medical Services (EMS) issued a photo on their respective social media accounts last week. It has the message of “Is Your Life Worth the Text?”
A member of each agency is shown standing in front of their respective vehicles. Fictitious text message conversations are also on the image. The conversations end with one person concerned about the well-being of the other.
The tweets also state: “You don’t want us responding to your next text.”
Police Chief Paul Ladouceur said Saskatchewan General Insurance (SGI) and law enforcement agencies from across the province are teaming up to crack down on distracted driving this month, and this local campaign is part of the initiative.
“Certainly, there are a number of things that can distract a driver, everything from eating while driving to trying to read a document while driving or looking at a map, so these can all constitute distracted driving,” said Ladouceur.
Texting and driving is one of the biggest issues police encounter.
“Several times at traffic lights or intersections, I’ve noticed people with their head down … and they’re texting with their phone,” said Ladouceur.
He has investigated accidents in which distracted drivers ventured into oncoming traffic and caused a fatal head-on collision.
The EPS will have plain-clothed officers at intersections to look for people who are texting and driving. Other officers will be in unmarked vehicles.
“I always believe it’s fair to warn the public ahead of time, and let them know that this is coming,” said Ladouceur. “So put the phone down. It’s very simple because if you get the ticket, don’t complain when you’ve been given ample opportunity to abide by the law.”
The partnership with EMS and the fire department was initiated because the three agencies are responding to incidents that involve texting and driving, and they realize it’s in their best interests to work together.
“When we work together, we get better results,” said Ladouceur. “Quite frankly, we’ve told the fire department … that if they see someone texting and driving, they should call us, grab a licence plate and we’ll deal with it.”
Ladouceur encourages people to call police if they see someone texting and driving.
“If someone’s head is buried in their phone while they’re texting and driving, they’re as much a risk on that roadway as an impaired driver,” said Ladouceur. “The public should take that same approach. We have the RID (Report Impaired Drivers) program when it comes to impaired driving, and this should be no different.”
People often don’t realize how dangerous texting and driving can be until something tragic happens. If the distracted driver causes a fatal accident, then it can lead to criminal charges.
“You can’t focus on those two important tasks at the same time, so you have to put the phone down,” said Ladouceur.
It’s hard to know how many accidents in the city are caused by distracted driving, he said, and they don’t have a breakdown on how many collisions are due to texting and driving. The police chief believes the majority of the accidents in the city are likely reported directly to SGI.
Police are trying to get an exact figure on the number of accidents that have happened in the city, but Ladouceur noted distracted driving is one of the top three causes of collisions causing fatalities and serious injuries. Speeding and impaired driving are the other causes.
The campaign has already received some positive feedback on social media, and Ladouceur believes that support from the public will grow as the public becomes more aware of the first responders’ efforts.
