Vancouver police say alcohol was not a factor in an early morning crash over the weekend -- but "poor decision-making was."
On Sunday (Dec. 11) a 19-year-old driver lost control of his car after he tried to adjust his shoe, explains the Vancouver Police Department's (VPD) Traffic Section in a tweet.
After losing control, the driver crashed head-on into a pole, resulting in significant damage to the vehicle. He suffered a broken leg from the impact but the passenger was "surprisingly" uninjured.
Anything that diverts your attention from driving, such as moving a cell phone, eating, or, as in this case, adjusting your shoe, is considered "distracted driving," according to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC).
Drivers caught driving distracted will get slapped with a $368 fine and four driver penalty points to their driving record.
If drivers have four or more points at the end of a 12-month period, they pay a driver penalty point (DPP) premium. They may also have to pay a driver risk premium if they get more than one distracted driving ticket in a three-year period.
In June, a 27-year-old driver also lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a lamp pole. However, alcohol was determined to be a factor in that incident.
