A new study suggests that while many Albertans think it’s “never acceptable” to speed on residential streets, highways and in school zones, a great deal of drivers are doing it anyway.
LISTEN: AMA vice president Jeff Kasbrick talks to Angela Kokott about the results of a recent survey that suggests Alberta drivers aren’t following laws they claim to support
Albertans across the province were surveyed, and the results are “concerning,” AMA said.
- A majority 82 per cent of Albertans say it’s “never acceptable” to speed in residential zones, but 52 per cent admitted to doing it anyway
- Only 18 per cent of drivers said it’s “never acceptable” to speed on the province’s highways. A whopping 91 per cent admitted to doing it anyway
- Finally, 95 per cent of drivers say it’s “never acceptable” to speed in a school zone, and 29 per cent admitted they do it
“There’s a real disconnect between Albertans’ concerns around traffic safety overall and their own admitted behaviours while behind the wheel,” said AMA vice-president Jeff Kasbrick.
“With speeding, this study paints an unfortunate picture of ‘do as I say, not as I do.’ The first step in making our roads safer begins with our own actions.”
Albertans ‘unconcerned about’ impaired driving
The survey also pointed to other driving issues that many Albertans seemed unconcerned with, including impaired driving.
- Almost half of drivers surveyed saw drinking and driving as only a slight threat or not a threat at all to their personal safety (34 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively)
- More than half of Alberta motorists were unconcerned about drivers using cannabis, with 31 per cent saying it is only a slight threat, and 23 per cent saying it is not a threat
“In one sense, this result can be taken as good news: the average Albertan doesn’t believe they’re at risk of impaired driving on Alberta roads,” Kasbrick said.
“However, we can’t become complacent. Impaired driving, whether alcohol or drug-related, is a far too present reality on Alberta roads, and a very serious traffic safety issue.”
The survey also asked Albertans how safe they felt on the province’s roads compared to three years ago, with many drivers responding they feel the roads are more dangerous.
Forty-nine per cent said they believe road rage incidents are worse today, 57 per cent said aggressive driving is worse and 72 per cent said distracted driving is worse.
The telephone survey was conducted between April 18 and May 16 with a random sample of 1,800 adult Albertans to provide provincially representative data. A poll of this size is considered accurate within 2.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
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