TORONTO, ONTARIO — (Marketwired) — 12/01/14 — (TSX: T)(NYSE: TU) – A new TELUS survey has found that 36 per cent of Canadian drivers admitted to illegally using their smartphones while driving. The survey also found that while 70 per cent of Canadian passengers are uncomfortable with drivers using their smartphone behind the wheel, nearly a quarter of them don–t speak up. This (December 1-7), TELUS is launching the “Thumbs Up. Phones Down.” campaign to increase awareness of distracted driving and encourage Canadian drivers to focus on the road while they are behind the wheel.
According to the Ontario Provincial Police, distracted driving now kills more people than drunk driving and speeding combined. It is also the second-leading cause of car crashes in B.C. (). The survey, conducted by TELUS via , provided additional data around Canadians– distracted driving behaviour:
More than one third of drivers are violating distracted driving laws
We say we get it, but…do we?
We feel like we have to
Our passengers don–t like it, but many don–t speak up
Quebecers buck the trends
“Distracted driving laws exist to protect all Canadians and while mobile devices have changed our lives for the better, we must recognize and respect that driving requires 100 per cent of our focus,” says Brent Johnston, senior vice president, Consumer Marketing at TELUS. “As a leading national wireless carrier, TELUS has a responsibility to address distracted driving head-on by educating Canadian drivers to make smart and safe decisions and encouraging passengers to speak up. Our –Thumbs Up. Phones Down.– campaign will do just that by creating a social movement that promotes and celebrates safe driving.”
TELUS is inviting all Canadians to join the “Thumbs Up. Phones Down.” movement by not using their smartphones while driving. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (C.A.C.P.) supports TELUS– work against distracted driving, including its smartphone safety education provided through the program.
“Distracted driving is a huge issue here in Canada and we see a significant gap between understanding the risks and actually changing their behaviour,” says Denis Boucher, Superintendent and co-chair of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Traffic Safety Committee and Officer in Charge of the B.C. RCMP Traffic Services. “TELUS– work through campaigns such as “Thumbs Up. Phones Down.” and education through TELUS WISE is playing an important role in helping us tackle this issue and encouraging Canadians to actually make a change.”
To help Canadians combat this issue themselves, TELUS has developed the following tips:
To learn more about the risks associated with distracted driving and tips on how to stay safe on the road, visit . You can also join the conversation and help promote safe driving online using #ThumbsUpPhonesDown.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T)(NYSE: TU) is Canada–s fastest-growing national telecommunications company, with $11.8 billion of annual revenue and 13.5 million customer connections, including 8.0 million wireless subscribers, 3.2 million wireline network access lines, 1.45 million Internet subscribers and 888,000 TELUS TV customers. TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services, including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment and video, and is Canada–s largest healthcare IT provider.
In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed more than $350 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered 5.4 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Created in 2005 by Executive Chairman Darren Entwistle, TELUS– 11 community boards across Canada have led the company–s support of grassroots charities and will have contributed $47 million in support of 3,700 local charities organizations by the end of 2014, enriching the lives of more than two million Canadian children and youth. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.
For more information about TELUS, please visit .
Contacts:
Donna Ramirez
TELUS Social and Media Relations
(416) 320-9309
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