As per provincial rules of the road, vehicles are not permitted to park on the shoulder of a highway except in an emergency. This is for safety. Municipal parking bylaws vary from place to place. You need to consider the parking bylaws for a location before pulling over.

Research shows that hands-free phones are no safer than hand-held phones. Hands-free units free you from having to physically manipulate the device, but don’t reduce your need to think about the conversation you are having, which is a cognitive distraction. Trying to find various components of your hands-free phone can take your attention away from driving and increase your chances of being in a crash. If you use a hands-free cell phone, it is still better to find a safe and legal place to pull over to take or place a call.

Passengers are active listeners who are more aware of the driving situation and can delay conversations during challenging driving conditions. A person on the phone may continue the conversation when it may be inappropriate. Avoid any emotionally charged conversations when driving as they may lead to erratic driving behaviour.

For the safety of both pets and road users, pets should be secured in the back of a vehicle in a carrier or with a seatbelt. A dog in the front seat or on the driver’s lap can reduce the ability to operate the vehicle safely or become a dangerous projectile in the event of a collision.

At their discretion, police can charge a driver who permits anything, including a pet, to occupy the front seat of the vehicle such that it interferes with the driver’s access to vehicle controls and the safe operation of the vehicle, or obstructs the driver’s clear vision in any direction.

The Edmonton and Area Traffic Safety Culture Survey in 2016 found 94 per cent of respondents believe texting, emailing, or using social media is a serious threat to their safety, yet 33 per cent said they have done so while driving in the past month. 

Even when stopped at a light, texting is not safe. An American Automobile Association study found people are distracted for up to 27 seconds after they finish sending a voice text. When people switch between mental tasks, such as from texting to looking up to drive when a light turns green, responses are much slower. People are more prone to mistakes immediately after they switch tasks.