Food, bathrooms, safe space to text – yup, that covers all the essentials.
Ontario might be about to step up its highway stop game. Or its highway sign game, at least. All three parties of the provincial government recently voted in favour of a bill that would call for signage that notifies drivers of texting zones where they can safely pull over and fire off some snapchats.
The signs would inform drivers about 185 existing areas – such as commuter parking lots, transit stations and rest stops – where a few Tinder swipes won’t put other peoples’ lives at risk.
The plan won’t require the development of any new infrastructure and was inspired by a similar initiative in Pennsylvania and New York where signs promote safe texting zones.
“It sends a clear message to distracted drivers that there is no longer any excuse to endanger themselves and those they share the road with,” Progressive Conservative Vic Fedeli. “Their text can wait until the next texting zone.”
Given how significant a problem distracted driving has become in Canada, the move couldn’t come at a better time. Despite harsher fines being imposed on those guilty of texting and driving, Fedeli believes monetary punishment isn’t enough to curb the problem.
“Texting is so popular with young people who are new drivers as well, and this has surpassed drunk driving (as a cause of accidents) and has become so very, very serious that it needs that extra little nudge, that extra reminder that says: ‘It can wait,”’ he said.
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