The British Columbia (BC) Safety Council in Canada, the BC Medical Association and the BC police chiefs are pushing the government to impose a complete ban on mobile phone use while driving.

The demand for the ban covers the use of cell phones, texting devices, computers, entertainment devices and BlackBerry mobile devices.

The move follows results from surveys that show that mobile phone use while driving increases the risk of a crash fourfold and is as dangerous as drink driving.

The ban has been supported by 76% of British Columbians, according to a poll by Canada’s market researcher Ipsos Reid.

At present, the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador have had such a ban in place since 2003 and Quebec and Nova Scotia have banned mobile use while driving since 2008.

If the government approves the ban, the province will become the first jurisdiction in North America to do so.