St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, December 17, 2020 - Many international cycling ambassadors support the 2020 “Don’t Text and Drive” campaign, led by businessman and Olympian Louis Garneau. This initiative begins its third year raising awareness of driving distractions. The campaign will go on until the international “Don’t Text and Drive” day on December 22.
Still affected by the loss of his Australian friend Jason Lowndes, killed by a distracted driver on 22nd of December 2017, as well as the young Canadian cyclist Ellen Watters killed on December 23, 2016 for the exact same reasons, Louis Garneau notes that things haven’t improved much since. "I am very concerned by the number of accidents still happening on the roads and resulting of texting while driving and distractions. With friends cycling everywhere in the world, I realize that this reality is the same all over the planet. I receive several accounts of incidents every year about tragic accidents that have happened involving distracted driving. This year, I want the campaign to be spread all over the globe. I am pleading with the population once again to drive safe, to not text and drive and to keep their eyes on the road at all time.”
In the province de Quebec, texting while driving is considered as a distraction in a recent report of car accidents. According to the SAAQ (automobile insurance Quebec society), more than a third of all accidents causing bodily injuries were caused by distractions this year, an increasing number unfortunately year after year.
In the next few days, many of ambassadors will discuss driving distractions on their social media audiences. These “Don’t Text and Drive” ambassadors are international cycling personalities, such as World championship medalists Lea Davidson and Mike Woods, several cycling federations and Jason Lowndes’ parents and friends, among many others. There won’t be any public events due to Covid-19 restrictions, but many Garneau key stores in North America were given “Don’t Text and Drive” wristbands to distribute in store those past weeks. A commemorative ride will also take place this Saturday in Jason’s hometown in Australia, called “Lolly for Lowndesy” to remind people of the importance of sharing the roads and promoting the Garneau “Don’t Text and Drive” campaign.
In his home province of Québec, Louis Garneau teams up with cycling Olympians Marc Blouin (1972 & 1976) and Ivan Waddell (1988 & 1992) as honorary campaign co-presidents to raise awareness on driving distractions on local roads. “We’re good friends and ride together every Saturday. Just as any other cyclist around the world, we wish for safer roads in our area.”
Garneau invites everyone to sign their pledge to not text and drive at https://garneau.com/ca_en/dont-text-and-drive
