Canadian road rage on the rise, poll finds

Road rage is on the rise in Canada, according to a new Leger poll done for Ratesdotca.

The poll found that 83 per cent of respondents say they have witnessed road rage over the past year — a five-percentage-point increase from 2022 — while only 56 per cent admit to engaging in it.

“Canadians are well aware that they can see road rage is happening, but maybe not as self-aware as they are of what others are doing,” says Daniel Ivans, Ratesdotca insurance expert.

The poll found cutting someone off to be the most common behaviour in road rage, followed by tailgating, honking and obscene gesturing, all of which can lead to dangerous driving scenarios.

“When people are angry, we can see they are more prone to sudden movements, reacting unlawfully, moving into the wrong lane to swerve around somebody or tailgating,” Ivans says.

A Pollara Strategic Insights rage index is referenced in the findings, saying Canadians are becoming more frustrated with the country’s political and economic climate, along with personal finances. But it could be as simple as common courtesy.

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“Overall, when people are getting mad in their cars it’s due to an overall lack of human consideration,” Ivans says. “If somebody perceives that someone else isn’t being considerate of their space or of their safety, it seems that isn’t uncommon for somebody to be triggered by that and react in anger.”

Ivans says those stressors could be leading to some of the increase in anger on the road, adding that the inability to stay calm could impact more than just health. Fender benders, being rear-ended, driving erratically or being found at fault in a collision can all add up on your insurance.

“The penalty for being found guilty of an offence like dangerous driving or getting into an at-fault accident as a result of driving dangerously could cost a consumer thousands, if not tens of thousands, of dollars in the long haul,” Ivans says.

Calgary drivers agree things have gotten worse on the city’s streets.

“This is the worst city for driving I have ever lived in,” says Dillon Fraser. “I’ve lived in Edmonton, Vancouver and how here, and I don’t know, people here just don’t care, they own the road here.”

Fraser goes on to say he believes it’s about the mentality of drivers who aren’t good at sharing the road.

“Everything’s just bigger, wider here and nobody has that much patience. I saw somebody yell at a bike the other day to get off the road.”

It’s a feeling echoed by Sawyer Danyluk who just returned from traveling and says there is more road rage in Calgary than the international countries he was visiting.

“I think Calgarians are generally friends, but when you get on the roads, not as friendly,” laughs Danyluk.