Torontonians acknowledge the need to change behaviour to improve road safety

Road rage in the city of Toronto continues to worsen at an unprecedented rate, with over 85 per cent of GTA road users who walk, drive or cycle all agreeing that it’s a serious problem, according to a TruceTO survey commissioned by RSA Canada.

When it comes to making the effort to change behaviour to improve these conditions, only four per cent of Torontonians indicated a desire to change their road behaviour, even though the latter is a clearly identified source of stress which ultimately leads to anxiety and poorer decisions made on the streets.

Among factors most likely to motivate change, higher penalties for unsafe behaviour ranks the highest at 37 per cent, followed up a reward system at 25 per cent and witnessing a collision at 22 per cent.

Quick Facts:

• 85 per cent of everyone who walks, cycles or drives agree that road rage is a serious problem (up two per cent from 2018)
• 36 per cent of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians believe that the city needs to invest more in driver, pedestrian and cyclist education to make our streets safer
• 53 per cent of pedestrians (up three per cent from 2018), 49 per cent of drivers, and 40 per cent of cyclists don’t always know when cyclists have the right of way.
• 51 per cent of cyclists (up three per cent from 2018), 20 per cent of drivers and 19 per cent of pedestrians still feel unsafe on the streets of the GTA. Even more telling among cyclists age 18 and older, 57 percent feel unsafe (up 9 per cent from 2018).