Majority of Canadians admit to speeding, driving over the limit: poll

It appears Canadian drivers have no issue putting the pedal to the metal.

New public opinion research from the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) revealed some fascinating statistics regarding fast drivers. Nearly 70 per cent of Canadians admit to speeding in a residential area at least once in the last year.

According to the poll, half of respondents say they routinely speed on the highway, and one in five drivers say they regularly drive well over the speed limit.

It would seem that age isn’t a deterrent to speeding, as the CAA’s poll revealed that speeding isn’t limited to young people.

While 50-plus drivers self-reported doing it less, all age groups admitted to persistently exceeding the speed limit in their respective regions.

“Higher speeds reduce drivers’ reaction time and increase the risk to themselves and everyone else,” said Kristine D’Arbelles, senior director of public affairs at CAA National. “Speeding increases your stopping distance, making a collision more likely and severe, but it saves you only a small amount of time.”

Overconfidence on the roads?

According to the CAA’s public opinion poll, only 35 per cent of Canadians think they will get caught speeding, while four in 10 admitted to running a red light.

Additionally, the CAA found that 68 per cent of people drove when they were too tired, and 54 per cent admitted to using their phones while driving at least once in the last year.

In recent years, automated speed cameras have become more prevalent on city streets, often nabbing drivers for exceeding the speed limit.

In 2023, Toronto’s city council unanimously approved a motion to increase the number of cameras from 75 to 150. According to the city, speed cameras have effectively reduced the number of people speeding and overall vehicle speeds, pointing to increased compliance and improved driver behaviour.

The latest CAA findings are based on a poll of 2,880 Canadians from Sept. 13 to 21, 2024.