The Ultimate Guide: Canadian Road Safety! The rate of road carnage has been on the rise since 2010 in Canada, and this is raising the concern of the eventuality of auto safety. Is the government doing enough to regulate all auto accidents, or are the drivers ignoring important traffic rules?
Here is all you need to know! The statistics done by ICBC in 2013 revealed that of the leading causes of accidents in Canada, 23% is contributed by drinking and driving, 28% of fatal crashes were as a result of overspeeding, and 29% was as a result of driver interference. Also, it was established that driving too fast during adverse weather conditions (during heavy rains, on icy and snowy roads, etc.), can be dangerous as they lead to fatal auto accidents. And in the last 5 years, these figures have increased, leading to worrying cases of auto accidents.
Disruptive tools like mobile handsets also cause auto-crashing. Texting, picking calls, browsing or even setting attention to other disrupting elements while driving is estimated to cause accidents. Also, other distracting incidences include dizziness by drivers, playing loud music, reading while driving, etc., can cause accidents. So, Impaired driving, high speed, and distractions are the common causes of accidents in Canada. And as the number of auto accidents raises, Canadians are deeply concerned about the measures that will help control the plight. According to the Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics, there were 1898 cases of the number of motor vehicle fatalities in 2016.
That was estimated to be 2% higher from that which was recorded in 2015. Also, 10,322 serious injuries were established as a result of motor vehicle collisions. The cases of impaired driving in Canada reported by police were 72,039. Alcohol-impaired driving cases contributed to 16% of serious injury collisions in 2016, which saw a percentage of drivers drinking and driving, as 69% of the head-on collisions involving drinking drivers were single-vehicle accidents and about 40% of fatally injured drivers were confirmed to have been drinking a certain amount of alcohol.
The statistical report also found out that 3 Drug-impaired driving cases occur for every 3 hours, and exactly 2,786 drug-impaired driving occasions were reported. It went further to reveal that 1 in 4 Cannabis users had operated a vehicle before, while under the influence of that drug. Besides, 33% of parents don't know if their child aged between 13-24 has been driven by the driver who is under the influence of cannabis.
Also, 3000 cases reported by police in 2015 involved impaired driving incidents. Also, fatigue impaired driving has been on the rise with 20% of fatal collisions involving drivers seized by fatigue. That is drawn from 60% of the Canadian drivers who admitted that they occasionally drive while fatigued. So, it implies that a particular percentage of accidents are caused by drug-impaired drivers with another percentage of drivers being under fatigue. What to Do to Avoid Auto Accidents! Observing and doing the right thing can help reduce substantial impacts and even stop auto accidents.
Traffic rules are clear and following them will give a good report. Seatbelts and Child Restraints About 47% of Seat belts are tested to reduce the chances of death when worn correctly, and 52% of serious injuries can be reduced when seat belts are correctly worn. Also, using child restraint properly can reduce over 71% of the likelihood of death, and it minimizes the possibility of injury by 67%. Final thought, Proper observation of traffic rules and carefully following them can reduce the number of auto accidents. As a passenger, there is a need to use seatbelt rightly. And while you are driving, it is also essential that you relax, avoid any disruptive activity, observe the traffic rule and enjoy your experience as a driver.
Infographic by: drivingtest.ca