Canadian drivers' multi-tasking fuels aggression

By: Drivers.com staff

Date: Tuesday, 26. June 2007

Overwhelmed drivers who carelessly turn their cars into an extension of their homes and offices create a dangerous distraction on the road that can fuel high frustration and aggressive driving among other drivers, says a new study.

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For many drivers, the workplace concept of "multitasking," or doing several jobs at once, is making its way behind the wheel as many drivers eat, read, use cell phones, and even shave or apply makeup on the road, all of which can frustrate other drivers. Fully 75% of those surveyed admitted to performing personal or work-related tasks while driving, according to the third annual Nerves of Steel Aggressive Driving Study. And 76% of respondents said that seeing other drivers reading, eating, or talking on cell phones creates a high level of frustration that can spark aggressive driving, according to the study commissioned by The Steel Alliance and the Canada Safety Council .

An incredible 85 percent of Canadians surveyed said they engaged in aggressive driving this past year and 72 percent blame it on stress and frustration.

Who is committing the most aggressive driving by region

"In an attempt to keep up with the ever-increasing pace of life, we tackle tasks in one of the places we find ourselves spending more and more time-our cars," says Emile Therien, president of the Canada Safety Council. "But motorists fail to realize that their simple phone call or lipstick touch-up distracts them from driving, causing a disruption in the flow of traffic, and many times can further aggravate an aggressive driver nearby."

Multitasking Acts:	Committed Most by:	Committed Least By:
Used cell phone	Alberta	Atlantic
Drank beverages, such as coffee or pop	Alberta	Quebec
Ate	Alberta	Quebec
Put on makeup, shaved or combed hair	Alberta	Ontario
Argued with passengers	Alberta	Quebec
Disciplined children	Alberta	British Columbia
Engaged in high-tech distraction (e.g., using laptop)	Atlantic & Quebec	Man/Sask
Read	Alberta	British Columbia

More Canadians believe aggressive driving is on the rise this year compared to 2000 and although they can identify aggressive driving and know it is a serious safety problem, they continue to do it. More than half of Canadian drivers surveyed admitted to rushing through a yellow light and speeding .

Drivers in British Columbia reported the highest incidence of aggressive driving (89%) and those in Alberta the lowest (82%), bumping Atlantic Canada, which reported the lowest incidence in the last two years. Interestingly, the Atlantic provinces reported a nine percent increase in aggressive driving since last year and is the second-most aggressive region in the country.

Aggressive Driving Acts:	Committed Most by:	Committed Least By:
Driving through yellow light turning red	Ontario	Atlantic
Speeding (20 kms or more over limit)	Quebec	Man/Sask
Changing lanes without signaling	Man/Sask	Alberta/BC
Tailgating	British Columbia	Atlantic
Flashing high beams	Alberta	Ontario
Making rude gestures	British Columbia	Atlantic/Ontar & Man/Sask
Merging at the last second with traffic on the highway	British Columbia	Man/Sask
Pulling into someone else's parking spot	Alberta	BC/Quebec & Man/Sask
Passing on the shoulder	British Columbia	Alberta & Man/Sask

To reduce aggressive driving this summer, the Canada Safety Council recommends first and foremost that all drivers should take measures to minimize stress levels on the road. Allow enough time for travels; consider taking a route that avoids busy roads; be courteous at all times; and, if all else fails, just accept the fact that you might arrive late and avoid speeding up. In addition, paying full attention to driving and not engaging in any distracting activity will help in avoiding a collision with a nearby driver who may themselves be reading, eating, or shaving behind the wheel.

Most committed acts of aggressive driving and multitasking

Driving through yellow lights that are turning red

Driving 20 kms per hour or more over the speed limit

Summary of results

Road rage is heating up Canadian roads

77% of Canadians believe the incidence of aggressive driving is increasing. That's a 4% jump from those who believed the incidence of aggressive driving was increasing in 2000 (73%).
More younger Canadians report committing at least one act of aggressive driving in the past year than older Canadians, surpassing the national average (96% vs. 85%).
Most likely to believe aggressive driving is on the rise: Ontario (80%).
Least likely to believe aggressive driving is on the rise: British Columbia (75%).

Our Jekyll-and-Hyde attitude toward aggressive driving

Although Canadians believe aggressive driving is a safety concern and recognize what constitutes this behaviour, 85% of those surveyed admit committing at least one act of aggressive driving in the past year.
More than half of Canadians admit to running yellow lights turning red or speeding -most common acts.
Atlantic Canada has experienced the sharpest increase in reported aggressive driving acts-in past years it was the least aggressive and now for the first time has surpassed the national average (79% 2000 vs. 88% in 2001).
Most aggressive drivers are in British Columbia (89%)-Atlantic Canada is #2.
Least aggressive drivers are in Alberta (82%)-was the most aggressive last year.

Laying blame

72% of respondents feel that stress, including frustration, is the primary cause of aggressive driving-up 5 percent since 1999.
18% of those surveyed believe aggressive driving is the primary cause of most driving-related accidents.
Most likely to blame stress: quebec (80%).
Least likely to blame stress: British Columbia (62%).

Stress as the main cause of aggressive driving by region

Multitasking on the road

76% of drivers become frustrated when they see other drivers multitasking on the road.
91% of drivers have seen other drivers multitasking on the road-mostly using cell phones (82%).
But what frustrates drivers the most is when other drivers read (57%) or use high-tech devices like laptops and hand-held devices (57%), followed by cell phone usage (53%) and putting on makeup, shaving or combing hair (53%).
Most frustrated by multitasking: Alberta (85%)
Least frustrated by multitasking: Ontario and Quebec (both 73%)

Methodology

The survey was conducted by Thompson Lightstone & Co. by telephone among a proportionately representative, random sample of 1,002 Canadian residents, 18 years of age and older between April 12 and 22, 2001. The sample is accurate to within +/- 3.1 percentage points.

The Steel Alliance is an industry-wide coalition of more than 110 North American steel producers and affiliated organizations that have joined together to educate consumers about the benefits of steel. In partnership with the Canada Safety Council, The Steel Alliance initiated the Nerves of Steel Anti-Aggressive Driving Campaign in 1999 to educate consumers about protecting themselves and staying safe on the road.

The Canada Safety Council is Canada's national, nongovernmental, charitable organization dedicated to safety. Its mission is to lead the national effort to reduce preventable deaths, injuries and economic loss in public and private places throughout Canada.