Canadian Underwriter
News

46% of Canadians surveyed do not believe reducing speed limits makes road safer: State Farm Canada


July 14, 2015   by Canadian Underwriter


Print this page Share

Nearly one in three Canadians surveyed said they think fatigue is the “most common form of impaired driving,” while a majority think that driving 15 kilometres per hour or more over the limit is an excessive speed on city streets, State Farm Canada suggested in a survey released Tuesday.

The online poll surveyed 1,300 respondents of driving age across the country

Canadian Driving Habits, a survey released by Aurora, Ont.-based State Farm Canada, is based on an online poll conducted last February, of 1,300 respondents of driving age across Canada.

The poll “was conducted to gauge the opinions and thoughts of Canadians about their driving habits and road safety as opposed to being a purely scientific undertaking,” a State Farm Canada spokesperson told Canadian Underwriter.

Fewer than one in five (18%) of respondents said they thought roads would be safer if speed limits were reduced, State Farm Canada reported. Forty-six per cent said no and 36% were not sure.

“Overall, Canadians feel lowering limits wouldn’t make roads safer,” State Farm stated in a comment in the report. “This despite speed being a contributing factor in deaths, injuries collisions and their severity.”

State Farm Canada’s Canadian operations are owned by Desjardins Group of Levis, Quebec. State Farm Canada agents now sell property & casualty insurance written by Desjardins subsidiary Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company.

In State Farm Canada’s 2015 driving survey, respondents were asked what they would consider “excessive speed on city streets.” [click image below to enlarge]

Most respondents thought that driving more than 15 kilometres an hour over the speed limit was excessive

Overall, the majority thought driving more than 15 kilometres an hour over the limit was excessive. Specifically, 12% said 25 km/h or more over the limit was excessive, 15% said 20 km/h over the limit is excessive and 27% said 15 km/h over the limit was excessive. More than a third – 35% – said 10 km/h over the limit is excessive on city streets while 12% said even 5 km/h over the limit is excessive.

Respondents were also asked what they thought would be excessive speeds on highways and freeways.

About an eighth of respondents (12%) said 50 km/h over the limit is excessive on highways, while 9% said 40 km/h over the limit is excessive, 28% said 30 km/h over the limit is excessive, 37% said 20 km/h over the limit is excessive and 14% said 10 km/h over the limit is excessive.

Related: Majority of Canadians feel other motorists, not themselves, drive distracted: State Farm survey

“According to the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, 800 Canadians die and another 3000 are injured every year in collisions where speed was the major contributing factor,” State Farm Canada stated in a release.

Respondents were also asked what the thought was the most common form of impaired driving.

More than half (54%) said alcohol, 32% said fatigue, 7% said prescription drugs and 7% said recreational drugs were the most common forms of impaired driving.

One third of respondents said there were “victims of road rage” at least once a month.

In a press release, State Farm Canada said the “most common” road rage triggers were tailgating (30%), others distracted driving (22%) and being cut off (22%).


Print this page Share

Have your say:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*