Many Canadian drivers not taking enough winter driving precautions: poll

Many Canadian drivers may not be taking all the precautions they can to stay safe and keep calm on the winter roads, suggest the results of a recent poll from TD Insurance.

According to the TD Insurance Winter Driving Poll, 60% of Canadian drivers don’t carry an emergency kit in their car, 38% don’t get their car serviced before the season begins, and 36% don’t use snow tires in winter. That’s despite 71% saying they would feel safer driving this winter if other drivers had winter tires on their car.

In Ontario, 43% of those surveyed don’t use snow tires, and in British Columbia, 57% don’t use them, the poll suggests. Albertans are also the most likely in the country to admit they feel scared, anxious or uneasy when driving in winter (31% versus 23% nationally), but only half use snow tires and carry emergency kits in their cars.

The poll also suggests that although 95% of Canadian drivers say that auto insurance is an extremely or very important tool to help overcome the challenges of winter driving, only 12% of drivers review their auto insurance before winter hits.

“It’s unrealistic to know your policy line-by-line, but it’s important to familiarize yourself with your coverage so there are no unpleasant surprises down the road,” Dave Minor, vice president of TD Insurance suggests to consumers.

“For example, check your policy for what type of incidents you are covered for and what your excess would be if you were in an accident. Remember to notify your insurer of any installs or upgrades to your car, too.”