Quebec's auto insurance board is launching an ad campaign specifically targeting those who text and drive.

Quebec police have issued 173,000 tickets for the infraction over the past four years.

"Everyone is well-aware of the fact that it's risky, but still, some people text while driving," says Johanne St-Cyr, the vice-president of road safety at the SAAQ.

She says distracted driving is the number one factor behind Quebec road injuries. Talking and texting on cellphones are the main causes of distracted driving.

The publicity campaign, launched today, includes both French television, and English radio ads. They use both humour, word play, shocking scenes and somber stories.

The new transport minister, Sylvain Gaudrault, says he hopes a campaign like this will lower the numbers, but he's not ruling out the possibility of increasing fines or imposing new laws.

"We need to go step by step and it's very important to begin with a sensitization campaign, but the door is not closed to other legislation," he says.