Students experience risks of distracted driving

REGINA- No phone call or text message is worth risking your life.

Police say, right across the province, people are not getting that message.

On Wednesday, RCMP, SGI, and Ford hosted an interactive distracted driving event to show young drivers why it’s so dangerous.

Students from Sheldon Williams Collegiate learned firsthand how distracting texting and driving really is.

“Holy! Don’t do it! My arm was completely backwards and I had no control,” said a student.

Though only some of the high school students admitted to texting while driving, it happens all the time.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Distracted driving is the number one contributing factor in all collisions in Saskatchewan. Preliminary numbers for 2012 show 6,636 collisions, claiming 60 lives.

“We had distracted driving exceed alcohol impairment as the number one cause in fatal collisions,” said Shannon Ell, SGI Traffic Safety Promotions.

Taking your focus off the road for even a few seconds leaves you vulnerable to the unexpected.

“First day with my learners’ license, I almost got into an accident,” said a student “It was because I glanced away from the road for a second and someone ran a red light in front of me.”

“Texting takes your focus off the road for an average of four to six seconds,” said Ell. “If you’re travelling 90 kilometers an hour, you will travel the length of a football field while you’re sending that text.”

And the students got to find out safely, how bad things can get.

Distracted driving also comes with a fine of $280 and four demerits points. But, not getting home at all would be much worse.

“I’d rather have them wait fifteen minutes then have them never see me again,” said a student.