CAA: Majority of Canadians believe texting while driving has got worse

83% of Canadians surveyed believe that texting while driving has got worse over the past three years and is also their number one concern alongside drink driving, according to the latest research from the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). In addition, 96% said that drivers who text are a threat to their personal safety on the road.
January 2, 2018 Read time: 1 min
83% of Canadians surveyed believe that texting while driving has got worse over the past three years and is also their number one concern alongside drink driving, according to the latest research from the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). In addition, 96% said that drivers who text are a threat to their personal safety on the road.


CAA’s findings are based on a poll of 2,003 Canadians carried out in November, which also showed that other distractions while driving such as emailing, talking on mobile phones and talking to/engaging with in-car technologies are increasingly becoming an issue.

Jeff Walker, chief strategy officer, CAA National, said: "Despite anti-texting and driving laws in all provinces across the country and several years of public education campaigns, Canadians still don't seem to be getting the message.”

"Studies show drivers are as much as 23 times more likely to get into a collision when they text and drive. It's important we all put our devices down and stay focused on the road”, Walker added.

Urban Traffic Control

Related Content

  • Novel Swedish approach to cell phone use while driving
    April 25, 2012
    Sweden’s National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) is publishing a new report showing ways to improve road safety. Of note is the fact that the report does not recommend a ban on mobile phone use while driving. Instead, VTI believes that a package measures can train and support drivers to manage communications more safety. According to VTI, this will be more effective than a ban on the use of cell phones at the wheel. VTI claims that more information will enable drivers to understand when it is d
    Read More
  • How ITS can help world out of lockdown
    June 2, 2020
    Ticketing, reallocation of street space, transport’s place in urban ecosystems – it's all up for grabs as we emerge from pandemic
    Read More
  • Asecap debates the future of tolling
    August 23, 2016
    Colin Sowman reports form Asecap’s Study & Information Days event in Madrid. At Asecap’s (the Association of European Toll Road Operators) recent Study and Information Days event there was no doubt about the subject at the top of the agenda: the European Union Directive 23/2014/EU. This will introduce fundamental changes to the concession model under which Asecap members operate more than 50,000km of tolled highways and, in response, it has compiled a report entitled Proposal for a Sustainable Concession Mo
    Read More
  • Americans want more action and enforcement to improve highway safety
    May 16, 2012
    At a time when there is intense debate about the role of government, a majority of Americans support additional laws and want more action by government officials to improve highway safety, a new survey released yesterday by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety claims.
    Read More

Highlighted Content