OTTAWA – Canadians see aggressive driving as a serious threat to their safety on the road, rivalling impaired and distracted driving, according to new polling released by the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). Empty roads during the pandemic sparked reports of more aggressive driving, but the trend continues to worry Canadians.
CAA asked Canadians to report what driving behaviours they see as a serious threat to their safety. The top 10 serious threats of 2021 are:
• People driving after drinking alcohol (93 per cent);
• People driving after using illegal drugs (93 per cent);
• Drivers running red lights (93 per cent);
• People using their phones while driving (92 per cent);
• People driving aggressively (92 per cent);
• Sleepy drivers (92 per cent);
• Drivers speeding on residential streets (91 per cent);
• People driving well over the speed limit (90 per cent);
• People driving after using cannabis (85 per cent);
• Drivers speeding on freeways (80 per cent);
• People engaging with their in-car technologies (67 per cent); and
• People driving after taking prescription drugs (64 per cent).
The CAA findings are based on a poll of 2,009 Canadians carried out from Nov. 24 to Dec. 2. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of +/-2.19 per cent, 19 times out of 20. More than 600 participants from the prairie provinces participated in the survey, with approximately 150 from Saskatchewan.
“Despite roads starting to fill up again, aggressive driving is still a major concern for Canadians,” said Ian Jack, CAA vice president of public affairs.
More than 90 percent of Canadians also said a leading cause of distraction - people using their phones while driving - is a serious threat to their safety. In the same survey, Canadians admitted to having done at least one distracting activity while driving. Transport Canada’s latest numbers reveal distracted drivers are at fault in more than one in five fatal collisions, surpassing impaired driving.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs was also seen as a top threat to Canadians’ safety. But, among the good news findings, the vast majority of Canadians (93 per cent) said it is important to have alternative travel arrangements after consuming alcohol. And 87 per cent of Canadians said it is important to have alternative travel arrangements after consuming cannabis.
“At any time of year, but especially during the holidays, we all want and deserve to get home safe and sound. We urge everyone to make safe decisions – plan ahead and keep your focus on the road,” said Christine Niemczyk, director of corporate communications with CAA Saskatchewan.
