Aggressive driving seems to be on the rise. But how big a problem is it in Canada? To find out, TheSteelAlliance and the Canada Safety Council commissioned a national study by COMPAS Inc. in 1999.
The survey found that Canadians think aggressive driving is a serious safety problem - but that doesn't stop them from behaving aggressively when they get behind the wheel.
Aggressive driving emerged second only to driver inattention as the perceived main cause of motor vehicle collisions - in fact, one in four respondents ranked aggressive driving ahead of impaired driving. Despite this, 84 per cent of respondents admitted to at least one act of aggressive driving over the past year. With 20 million licensed drivers in Canada that means at least 16 million Canadians knowingly act aggressively behind the wheel.
The survey found that Canadians have strong opinions and common definitions about what constitutes aggressive driving. Respondents identified the most common acts of aggressive driving as:
- Tailgating (93 per cent)
- Passing on the shoulder of the road (88 per cent)
- Making rude gestures (86 per cent)
- Pulling into a parking space someone else is waiting for (80 per cent)
- Changing lanes without signaling (75 per cent)
Canadians clearly recognize the characteristics and seriousness of aggressive driving. However, the number of drivers who admit to it is amazing, especially when you consider that they link car crashes to this behaviour.
Why do Canadians drive aggressively?
When asked what they thought caused aggressive driving, about two-thirds identified factors associated with stress and the pace of life - too much to do and too little time.
But there may be other underlying factors. People are more likely to do things they know are wrong if they know they will not be caught. Insufficient resources are being put into traffic enforcement.
One solution is to increase electronic enforcement. Red light cameras reduce crashes at intersections. When drivers know they will get caught, they think twice about running the light. Photo radar has been proven to reduce speeding violations.
Every driver must take responsibility
You can't change the road conditions. You can't change other drivers. But you can control your own behaviour. You can drive defensively.
To protect against aggressive drivers, the Canada Safety Council recommends you plan ahead before taking trips, consider alternative routes to avoid traffic congestion, obey the speed limit and always take a courteous attitude toward other drivers. In addition, try to ensure your car is comfortable on the inside to keep yourself calm on the road. This includes playing relaxing music and setting the air conditioning or heat to a comfortable temperature.
Steel components protect against crashes
The survey also asked respondents about the value of various critical auto components in preventing a collision. It found 83 per cent of respondents believe brakes are extremely important in avoiding a crash, followed by steering (58 per cent), wheels/tires (56 per cent) and suspension (22 per cent).
When asked to rate the effectiveness of certain auto components in the event of a crash, most respondents ranked steel frame/ safety cage and steel side impact beams as being extremely effective/ very effective, second only to seat belts and ahead of airbags. In fact, nearly 80 per cent of those surveyed believe steel provides the best protection in an automobile - ten times as many respondents chose steel over fibreglass, aluminum or plastic.
Steel plays a significant role in crash avoidance and protection. If there is a collision, steel protects vehicle occupants against injury or death more effectively than other materials such as plastics or aluminum.
Steel has the ability to strengthen as strain increases. This unique property has made life-saving engineering advances such as crumple zones and steel safety cages possible. In addition, the total component energy absorption of steel is higher than that of other alternative materials.
Our Jekyll-and-Hyde Attitude to Aggressive Driving