{"id":17774,"date":"2022-05-18T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-18T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blacmcstaging.wpengine.com\/a-systematic-approach-to-road-safety-is-key\/"},"modified":"2025-06-24T09:36:40","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T13:36:40","slug":"a-systematic-approach-to-road-safety-is-key","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blackandmcdonald.com\/us\/a-systematic-approach-to-road-safety-is-key\/","title":{"rendered":"A systematic approach to road safety is key"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At Black & McDonald, \u201cDo the job right regardless,\u201d is the first principle stated in our Code of Business<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This philosophy applies not only to how we conduct business, but also how we interact with our communities, including a commitment to safe driving practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To ensure we \u201cdo it right,\u201d on Canada\u2019s roadways, a systematic approach to road safety is critical, and only addressing a single issue will not create a solution. Instead, combined efforts, using a multi-pronged approach to address all aspects of driver behaviours while operating a motor vehicle are required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we recognize Canada Road Safety Week (May 17-23), it is an ideal time to remind ourselves of dangerous driving actions. For example, fatigued impaired driving and distracted driving are two common causes of collisions and serious injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fatigue impaired driving<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term driver fatigue refers to drivers operating vehicles when they are too tired to do so safely. When tired, reaction times are significantly reduced, decision-making is hampered, and our ability to judge speed and distance diminishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police<\/a> report, 20 per cent of fatal collisions are caused by drowsy drivers. In fact, being awake for 18 hours straight can impair driving as much as a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05 per cent, and being awake for 24 hours straight can impair driving as much as a BAC of 0.10 per cent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, drivers who get only five or six hours of sleep in 24 hours nearly double their risk of a collision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distracted driving<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The definition of distracted driving is when the driver\u2019s attention is drawn to some other activity or event, inside or outside the vehicle, rather than focusing on the driving task. Essentially, any competing activity that takes the driver\u2019s attention away from the road is considered distracting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distractions outside the vehicle included billboards, construction, collision scenes or emergency vehicles. Inside the vehicle, distractions including eating, drinking, changing the channel on the radio and talking on mobile devices such as cellphones, regardless of whether they are hand-held or hands-free. Texting while behind the wheel is also a significant distracted driving behavior.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n