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It’s time for motorists to hit the brakes when it comes to checking messages.

While most people are aware of the penalties for distracted driving, an “alarming” number of Canadian drivers continue to check their cellphones while on the road, according to a recent survey by InsuranceHotline.com.

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The survey polled 1,095 Canadians and found that while a majority of its participants (92%) were either aware or very aware of distracted driving laws, 25% of those polled indicated they checked their messages while operating a moving vehicle and 41% responded that they were likely or somewhat likely to check messages when stopped at a red light.

Three quarters of those polled also admitted that they felt unsafe as a passenger when a driver was talking on the phone or texting.

“We know we live very fast-paced lifestyles where we’re always checking our phones, but Canadians need to be aware that this kind of behaviour has a real impact on Canadian roads,” cautioned Jacob Black, of InsuranceHotline.