Risky behaviour is the unfavorable habit of initiating or taking part in dangerous activities to impress your friends, your girlfriend…believing that you are invincible, indestructible, not thinking about the consequences of your actions UNTIL…a fall, collision, injury or death follows….
There’s no turning back now: pain, trauma, death. The nightmare begins.
All right.
It’s not fun, but at least it’s said. So what do we do about it? What do we do to stop the trend?
It seems obvious, but following the rules of the road is the basics: when you’re in control of a vehicle, put your cell phone out of reach, watch the road, don’t drink, don’t do drugs. This is not a Gran Turismo game.
Young drivers (15-24 years old) continuously represent a large chunk of road collisions in Quebec. Why is that? Multiple reasons: recklessness and the will to prove yourself mixed with a lack of experience on the road (whether it’s a probationary or newly-acquired licence).
With 6.6 million cars, trucks, motorcycles and snowmobiles on Quebec’s roads[1], along with hundreds of bicycles, skateboards, scooters and pedestrians, it doesn’t take much for this all to turn into a disaster. Prioritize your Instagram feed to your peripheral vision and you’re putting your life and the lives of others at risk. Let your intoxicated friend drive under the influence or get in a car with your friend who has had one too many drinks and you’ll end up with dead people on your conscience.
Forever.
What’s the takeaway?
The next time you’re creating a TikTok or your besties send you a GIF of their vacation and, at the sound of the vibration, your hand mindlessly goes to your cell phone, stop for a moment. Are you on the road? Whether or not there are people, cars, pedestrians or cyclists nearby, THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME.
You pick: serious injuries, death on your conscience, or just a little patience?
And don’t forget this logic applies to pedestrians too.
