If you think distracted driving isn't costing you, think again. The Insurance Corp. of B.C. announced Tuesday it plans to ask the B.C. Utilities Commission for a 5.2 per cent increase to basic insurance rates - citing distracted driving injury claims as a top reason.
According to ICBC, "Distracted driving is now the second-leading cause of car crash fatalities in B.C., with an average of 88 people killed each year, and the leading cause of rear-end crashes, which often result in injuries."
If ICBC's request is approved, drivers can expect to pay about $3 more per month for insurance, starting in November. ICBC says the increase is needed "due to ongoing pressure from increasing injury claims costs, which cover payouts for pain and suffering, future care and loss of wages."
ICBC's bodily injury claims totalled $1.9 billion in 2013 - up by $73 million from 2012 and by more than $500 million from five years ago. The insurer says the rising number and cost of injury claims is commonly "the biggest single factor driving rates for all auto insurers across North America and beyond," and that higher legal and medical costs add to those payouts.
While a $3-per-month increase won't break the bank for most drivers, it's shocking that within such a short time, distracted driving has escalated to the point where it's killing an average of 88 people in B.C. each year.
Like drunk driving, distracted driving is based on the selfish premise that it's OK to take risks with the lives of others, whether passengers or other people on the road, because your desires - to drink, text, make a call or take a selfie behind the wheel - come first.
ICBC says it plans to partner with government and police to launch a new campaign to educate the public on distracted driving this September.
We hope it's a success, before the costs of this dangerous behaviour escalate any further.
