For many young Saskatchewan residents, driving means freedom, independence, and the ability to go where life takes you. But that freedom can disappear in an instant when attention slips behind the wheel.

To mark 2025 National Safe Driving Week, the Insurance Brokers Association of Saskatchewan (IBAS) and SGI are joining forces with the Canada Safety Council and the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada to remind drivers how quickly distraction can change everything. Together, these organizations continue to champion a shared responsibility for safety on Saskatchewan roads.

The campaign highlights the real and often lasting impacts of unsafe driving behaviours, from preventable injuries and loss of income to increased insurance costs and significant impacts on quality of life.

“In Saskatchewan, too many collisions happen because a moment of inattention leads to tragedy,” says IBAS Board Chair Sarah Johnston. “Insurance brokers see the impact these incidents have on families every day. National Safe Driving Week is an opportunity for all of us to slow down, stay alert, and take actions that prevent harm before it happens.”

Distracted driving remains one of the leading contributors to serious collisions across the country. A 2021 Transport Canada estimate found distraction was a factor in one in five fatal crashes and more than one-quarter of collisions that resulted in serious injuries.

Young drivers age 16 –19 continue to be among the most likely to be distracted at the time of a fatal collision.

Feeling invincible is common at a young age — especially behind the wheel. But the risks are real:

• Your freedom: A crash or licence suspension can take away the independence that driving provides.
• Your finances: Even minor collisions can lead to costly repairs, fines, and higher insurance premiums.
• Your safety and the safety of others: Your passengers, pedestrians, and fellow drivers rely on you to make safe choices. A split-second lapse can change their lives as well as yours.

Staying focused is not about fear — it’s about respect: for your future, your passengers, and your community. Every notification, every song change, every social media update can wait. Your safety cannot.

This National Safe Driving Week, IBAS, and SGI encourage Saskatchewan drivers — especially young drivers — to stay present, eyes forward, and fully engaged with the road ahead, because everything you value can be gone in a flash.