Aggressive driving on the rise in Canada
According to a recent Ipsos Reid survey, Canadian drivers are increasingly annoyed by construction projects, fellow motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.
The survey, which was conducted on behalf of the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, found that a significant percentage of motorists had been on the receiving end of discourteous behavior over the past 90 days. As many as 82 percent of those surveyed had encountered a driver who failed to signal, 73 percent had been tailgated and 63 percent hadn’t been allowed to merge into traffic.
"Aggressive or careless driving such as cutting off other drivers, speeding, tailgating, talking on cellphones and not using proper signals is almost always what incites road rage," said John Vavrik, a psychologist with ICBC. "While road delays play a part in adding to driving stress, it's the behavior of other drivers that leads to the greatest frustration."
Aggressive behavior has been exhibited on Ontario roadways as well. The Ministry of Transportation website lists a number of tips to help drivers stay cool behind the wheel, thereby avoiding costly auto insurance premiums, as aggressive driving often leads to accidents.