According to a new public opinion study from the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), 70 percent of Canadians admit to speeding in a residential area at least once in the past year, half say they have driven regularly on the highway and one in five drivers say they regularly drive well above the speed limit.

“Higher speeds reduce drivers’ reaction times and increase risks to themselves and everyone else,” said Kristine D’Arbelles, senior director of public affairs for CAA National.

“Speed ​​increases your stopping distance, which makes a collision more likely and more serious, but it only buys you a little time,” added Christine Niemczyk, CAA director of corporate affairs and public relations. Saskatchewan.

According to the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, driving even 6 mph over the speed limit increases the likelihood of a collision by 60 percent, while saving the average driver just four minutes on a trip.

The information comes from a national survey conducted by CAA of self-reported driver behavior.

On average in Canada, about a quarter of fatal collisions involve speeding, according to Transport Canada’s national collision database.

“CAA encourages everyone to obey speed limits to keep everyone safe,” Niemczyk said.

The CAA survey also reveals that excessive speed is not reserved for young people. While drivers over 50 reported doing it slightly less, all age groups admitted to consistently exceeding the limit.

This attitude could be fueled by the fact that only 35 percent of Canadians think they will be stopped for speeding, according to the poll.

This research is part of CAA’s annual survey of Canadians’ driving habits. The fall 2024 survey also found that nationally, four in ten Canadians admitted to running a red light, 68 percent drove when too tired and 54 percent admitted to using their phone while driving at least once in the past year.

Many people interviewed admitted that they were doing dangerous things while driving their vehicles that they probably shouldn’t be doing.

In Saskatchewan, the top 10 reported dangerous driving behaviors, according to survey results, are:

1. Speeding on the highway: 56%
2. Engage with technology in their car while driving: 45%
3. Perform a “rolling stop”: 34%
4. Driving when they were tired or sleepy: 32%
5. Exceeding the speed limit on a residential street: 27%
6. Program a destination on your GPS or mobile device while driving: 26%
7. Driving well beyond the speed limit: 23%
8. Using their phone while driving: 17%
9. Did not check his shoulder while driving: 15%
10. Aggressive driving: 14%

CAA encourages everyone to practice the following safety tips to keep yourself and others safe:

1. Remember, speed limits are posted based on ideal weather conditions. As winter approaches, with roads and highways covered in ice and snow, we should try to obey speed limits or slow down to keep everyone safe.
2. Keep a safe distance. Increasing the distance between you and the car in front of you can give you the time you need to recognize danger and react safely.
3. Drive slowly in community safety zones, school zones and residential areas. Expect increased pedestrian or bicycle traffic in these areas and watch for children running across the road or darting between parked cars.
4. Yield to pedestrians at crosswalks. Pay particular attention if you see that someone is about to or has already entered the crosswalk.
5. Be patient. Disabled pedestrians, children or elderly people crossing the road may need more time to get to the other side.

The latest CAA results are based on a survey of 2,880 Canadians conducted from September 13 to 21, 2024. A probability sample of the same size would give a margin of error of +/-1.9%.