Canadians Take Drunk Driving Seriously

A national opinion poll reveals that most Canadians consider drinking and driving a more serious problem than other issues such as health care or taxes, and a greater threat to their security than cancer or assault. The poll, which received financial support from the Canada Safety Council, was based on telephone interviews with 1,020 Canadians.

The survey, released February 4 by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF), found that during the past year there were an estimated 12.5 million trips during which people drove when they thought they had too much to drink. However, a small minority of drivers accounts for most of this C 2.6 per cent of all the drivers account for 84 per cent of all the impaired driving trips.

• 88 per cent of Canadians think drinking and driving is an extremely or very serious problem today. It is of greater concern to them than many other prominent social issues, such as taxes or the health care system. It is also seen as direct threat to their personal health and safety C more so than the possibility of getting cancer or being assaulted.
• Most members of the public recognize that people who persistently drink large amounts of alcohol and then drive cause most of the problem today.
• The public is confident that these drunk drivers will get caught C they actually overestimate the chances this will happen. Nearly 90 per cent of the public believes the police are doing their part to solve the problem of drinking and driving.
• Conviction and punishment for those who do get caught are far less certain in the public's view. Confidence in the legal system is not widespread.
• The public believes that most people who are convicted of drunk driving will do it again. They are not confident about the remedial effects of the sanctions currently being applied to offenders.
• The public believes that the programs and policies likely to be most effective are those targeted at repeat offenders C programs such as alcohol ignition interlocks or lengthy license suspensions.
• The public believes that measures such as lowering the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit will not work. Scientific research substantiates this.

Contact: Diane Fahlman,TIRF, tel. (613) 238-5235. The full report National Opinion Poll on Drinking and Driving is available from TIRF on request.

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