The third annual Auto Dealers Against Distracted Driving campaign kicked off March 1 and will run through the month, with hundreds of auto dealers across the country participating. They plan to collect more than 20,000 pledges against driving distracted from customers, community members and staff.
The campaign aims to educate drivers on some simple solutions to resist the urge to drive distracted, such as pairing to bluetooth and securing potential distractions before starting a trip.
Customers who visit participating dealerships can make a formal commitment to drive distraction-free through an online pledge at www.distractionfree.ca or by posting a personal pledge on their Twitter and Facebook pages, using the #TakeTheWheel hashtag.
LGM Financial Services initiated the campaign in 2015 as a platform for dealers to step up against an important industry issue. Distracted driving is a factor in about four million motor vehicle crashes in North America each year, according to CAA statistics.
Linda Leo, a campaign champion at West Coast Kia in PItt Meadows, B.C., says she is looking to this year’s efforts. “From my experience, it doesn’t take a lot to make a connection; a quick conversation or a little reminder, combined with a bit of passion, has the potential to make a real impact for the cause in a short amount of time,” she says.
