99% of British Columbian drivers think they are good drivers: survey

Aug 4 2017, 1:17 am

Almost all drivers in British Columbia think they are good drivers, but many can’t answer road test questions correctly, according to a new study by Insights West.

The online survey, which was conducted around the province for ICBC between February 20 and February 28, saw 1,126 BC drivers interviewed.

Those drivers were all aged at least 21, were not part of a Graduated Licence Program, and did not drive for a living. However, they did drive during the week.

Researchers found 99% of drivers polled thought they were good drivers, with a whopping 73% saying they were “above average.”

They also rated themselves highly on safety (82%), attentiveness (79%), knowledge (78%), and courteousness (76%).

While most of them thought they themselves were good drivers, 58% of those surveyed thought BC drivers got worse in the last five years.

The top reasons they gave were distracted driving (31%) and drivers becoming more impatient or aggressive (30%).

Most got at least one road test answer wrong

But here’s the kicker. Most of these good drivers, accusing others of driving badly, answered a road test question wrongly.

All the drivers surveyed were asked questions about road rules, with a whopping 78% getting at least one answer wrong.

Some 37% said they might not follow road rules if they were running late and trying to make up time while driving.

Meanwhile, 32% said it was OK to ‘bend the rules’ every once in a while if no other drivers were around.

Finally, 18% admitted being an aggressive driver.

Crashes in BC up by 23%

The results of the survey are being used to kick off a new Drive Smart campaign by ICBC, in light of a marked increase in crashes in BC over the last few years.

According to a release from ICBC, the number of crashes across BC rose 23% in just three years – from 260,000 in 2013 to 320,000 in 2016.

That’s an average of 875 crashes per day in British Columbia, said Mark Blucher, ICBC’s president and CEO.

“Ultimately, our goal is to reduce the number [of] crashes in BC,” said Blucher. “We’re asking everyone to help by doing their part.”

“Not only do crashes impact lives and cause serious damage, they also translate into costs pressures that affect insurance rates for all BC drivers.”

Think you’re a better driver? Take the Drive Smart quiz here.

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Jenni SheppardJenni Sheppard

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