Study shows Alberta drivers support traffic laws, but admit to breaking them

Experts with the Alberta Motor Association say that while many drivers on the road feel speeding is wrong, many admit to breaking the law.

A new report released this week shows while Alberta drivers believe that speeding and other poor driving habits are wrong, many admit to breaking the rules on a fairly regular basis.

The study, published by the AMA Foundation for Traffic Safety, says that 82 percent of Albertans feel that speeding is “never acceptable” on residential roads but 52 percent of respondents admit to breaking that law.

It also found 18 percent of Albertans believe it’s wrong to speed while on the highway, but 91 percent admit to breaking the highway speed limit on a regular basis.

A larger proportion of respondents, 95 percent, felt it’s wrong to speed in school zones but 29 percent admit to doing it.

Officials with the Alberta Motor Association say the results show a real disconnect between perceptions of traffic safety and behaviours.

“With speeding, this study paints an unfortunate picture of, ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’ The first step in making our roads safer begins with our own actions,” said Jeff Kasbrick, vice-president of government and stakeholder relations for the AMA.

The study also discovered that Alberta drivers see drinking and driving as a slight threat (34 percent) or no threat (15 percent) to their personal safety.

Also, more than half of Albertans are not concerned by people using cannabis before getting behind the wheel.

Kasbrick says that while it’s encouraging to hear that drivers believe they aren’t at risk of impaired driving, it’s dangerous to get complacent.

Other poor driving habits were also featured in the study and the AMA found that 49 percent of people feel road rage incidents have gotten worse, 57 percent say aggressive driving has gotten worse and 72 percent of drivers feel that distracted driving has gotten worse.