Unsafe driving behaviours in Ontario, speeding on the rise: survey
Ontario’s roads are becoming increasingly unsafe, a new survey by CAA South Central Ontario has found.
The study by DIG Insights determined 98 per cent of Ontario drivers surveyed witnessed unsafe driving behaviours in the past year, which is up three per cent from 2021.
It also showed that 72 per cent of drivers, six per cent fewer than in 2021, feel safe on our roads, especially on highways with speed limits of 100 kilometres per hour.
Further, 58 per cent of respondents admitted to engaging in dangerous driving behaviours, while 43 per cent of all Ontario drivers surveyed admitted to speeding. Seventeen per cent said they’ve driven distracted, eight per cent admitted to making unsafe lane changes, and six per cent have driven aggressively.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
One in three of the survey’s respondents also said they try to avoid roads that have photo radar, while 43 per cent admitted to accelerating after passing a photo radar camera.
“It can be nerve-wracking when you come across a driver who is behaving this way,” Michael Stewart, of CAA SCO, said in a release on Wednesday.
“If you do come across a speeding or aggressive driver, the best thing you can do is stay calm, focus on your driving and do not engage with the other driver."
Stewart encouraged drivers to safely pull over, if they can, and call 911 if someone is driving erratically or if they believe a driver’s behaviour could be an “immediate danger to others.”
Police services across Ontario continue to report significant amounts of speeding, stunt, and aggressive driving, issues that were significant even before the pandemic amplified awareness about these unsafe driving behaviours, Stewart noted.
“Traffic returning to pre-pandemic levels could be the reason why we’re seeing this increase in unsafe driving. Some drivers even admit to doing it themselves,” Stewart said.
He added that about half of respondents saw speeding as a “big problem” in Ontario. Aggressive driving, unsafely changing lanes, and distracted driving were also cited as considerable issues of concern. Most of the time, these behaviours are witnessed on higher-speed highways, he said.
In response to a rise in speeding and stunt driving, the Ontario government introduced the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, which came into effect on July 1, 2021.
The MOMS act, as it’s known, brought legislative changes to driver's licence suspensions, vehicle impoundments, and other related penalties.
Some of the changes include stunt driving charges being applied to motorists who drive more than 40 kilometres over the posted speed limit on roadways that have a limit under 80 kilometres an hour, vehicle impoundments will move from seven to 14 days for racing and stunt driving, and increased penalties for those convicted of street racing and/or stunt driving.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.