Toronto, Ontario — May 15, 2014 — While Alberta drivers aren’t the friskiest in Canada, they are the most likely to admit to talking on their phones when behind the wheel. According to a survey commissioned by RSA Insurance, 33 percent of Albertans admitted talking on their phone while driving, compared to 22 percent of Canadians.
The survey of 1436 Canadian drivers was completed online between April 28 and May 1, 2014 using Leger’s online panel, LegerWeb. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percent, 19 times out of 20.
“As we approach the first long weekend of the summer, we’re encouraging people to pay attention to what they are doing behind the wheel. Nine of out 10 Canadians told us that they have seen other drivers on the phone, and 80 percent said they’ve watched other drivers texting: these are extremely dangerous behaviors,” says Michael Ilnycky, Western Region Claims Director at RSA Insurance. “But what’s telling in these survey results is that many drivers aren’t owning up to their poor behavior behind the wheel.”
The survey also found:
– 24 percent of Canadians report seeing other drivers make out, while 3 percent admit to it themselves
– 66 percent of Canadians have witnessed people driving with pets on their lap; less than 4 percent admit to doing it themselves
– 60 percent of Canadians have watched other drivers scream/swear at other drivers, pedestrians, cyclist, while only 23 percent admit to that behaviour
– 40 percent of Canadians report seeing other drivers screaming at passengers; 8 percent admit to doing that themselves
– 61 percent of Canadians have seen other drivers distracted with the radio or GPS, while nearly half admit to that themselves
“We know that distracted drivers are three times more likely to be involved in an accident: no one wants to spend their long weekend in the hospital or worse. Pay attention to driving when you are behind the wheel,” says Ilnycky.
