How do B.C. drivers compare to the rest of Canada when it comes to the biggest pet peeves? And are they the worst offenders for certain types of violations?
The answers to those questions come in the form of a new Research Co. study that looked at undesirable driving behaviours, a popular discussion topic.
Research Co. spoke to over 1,000 adults across Canada last month and learned more about Canadians’ perceptions of driving behaviour, something they did last in February 2025.
Most drivers said that, generally speaking, driving in their respective city is actually worse than it was five years ago, and down four points since that February 2025 study.
Only one-in-ten respondents believe that driving has improved compared to five years ago.
B.C. specifically was named as the province where the “lane tracking” violation was observed the most. Research Co. explains lane tracking as turning right or left from an incorrect lane.
Research Co. also heard a lot about drivers not signalling before a turn. Again, B.C. was named as the province where this was observed the most, with seven in ten B.C. drivers saying they observed this behaviour over the past month.
B.C. was also the province where most drivers mentioned being in a close call while in a vehicle.
When asked who the worst drivers in a city or town were, three-in-ten drivers mentioned a driver’s ethnicity, while over a third mentioned a driver’s age.
Gender wasn’t as much of a factor in the opinions of these drivers, with less than one in ten people suggesting that as a factor.
Nearly 50 per cent of those surveyed across the country said they witnessed a car taking up more than two spaces in a parking lot.
“More than half of women (56 per cent) say drivers in their city or town are worse now than five years ago,” said Research Co. president Mario Conseco.
Comparatively, only 47 per cent of men felt the same way.
Would you say you see lane tracking or turning without a signal more than other driving violations in B.C.? Let us know your driving experience in the comments.
ICBC data backs up what some people are saying to Research Co. about driving being worse than five years ago.
According to ICBC stats, in the Lower Mainland, crash incidents have increased between 2021 and 2025. In 2025, ICBC statistics reported 67,243 total incidents. That number increased every year leading up to 2025, which showed a total of 83,546 incidents.
Despite the drastic increase in incidents, injuries are actually down in 2025 (40,741) compared to 2021 (42,325).
ICBC also reports on fatalities, and fatalities in 2020 (25) are about on par with fatalities in 2024 (27).