The Ontario Medical Association urged the provincial government yesterday to curb the use of cellphones in cars in a report detailing how dangerous the practice is.
The report, Cellular Phone Use and Driving: A Dangerous Combination, cites research that shows talking on a cellphone while driving can create a fourfold increase in the likelihood of a crash.
On April 1, Quebec made it illegal to talk on a cellphone while driving, with fines between $80 and $100 and the loss of up to three demerit points if caught. However, drivers may still talk on the phone if using a hands-free device.
According to the medical association's report, talking on a hands-free cellphone can be just as dangerous, as it increases non-responses to stoplights by 15 per cent, causes people to brake 18 per cent more slowly and take 17 per cent longer to recover their speed.
"Talking on a cellphone, regardless of whether it is hands-free or hand-held, was shown to reduce the speed at which the driver could process information," the report reads.
The association is calling for legislation that covers not only talking on the phone in the car, but also dialling, texting and e-mailing, as well as a public awareness campaign.
Premier Dalton McGuinty had previously been against a cellphone ban, but in May said he asked the minister of transportation to look into legislation that would ban cellphones and other electronic devices that could cause driver distractions.
