Driving simulator illustrates texting dangers
Texting while driving is rampant across the country, and the Insurance Bureau of Canada is using a driving simulator to demonstrate how dangerous it can be.
According to the Community Press, officials with the IBC recently took their simulator—dubbed the 'DUMB' car, which stands for Distractions Undermining Motorist Behaviour—to a Road Safety Week launch in Stirling, Ontario. The source reports the people who were there were invited to try the DUMB car, which puts drivers into a situation where they're about to merge onto a highway. The drivers are given a cellphone and instructed to text while they merge into traffic.
The paper reports that the drivers were mostly unsuccessful in their attempts, as users veered too far into lanes and smashed into oncoming cars.
"Our goal is to reduce injuries," said Kerri Jianopoulas in an interview with the paper. Jianopoulas is a public health nurse with the Hastings and prince Edward Counties Health Unit, which also took part in the kickoff. "Even being distracted momentarily can result in a collision."
It can also result in a rise in auto insurance rates, as the Insurance Bureau of Canada says a person's driving record may affect premiums.