Albertans are the most confident winter drivers
Canadians, long-used to snowdrifts and black ice, are mostly confident, prepared and careful winter drivers, found a new survey commissioned by Ford Motor Company of Canada Limited.
Nearly 80 per cent of Canadians say they are at least “somewhat confident” in their ability to drive in snowy or icy conditions and more than 85 per cent of Canadian drivers take extra precautions on the road by leaving extra space and decreasing their speed.
Drivers in the Prairies and married couples tend to be more confident, better prepared and more cautious drivers when compared to the rest of Canada. Albertans are the most confident winter drivers – 43 per cent say they are very confident when it comes to braving winter road conditions.
Drivers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan are the most prepared drivers in Canada as they are more likely to pack essential and emergency tools like an ice scraper, booster cables, shovel, first-aid kit and extra shoes and clothing. Drivers in British Columbia are more likely than drivers in any other province to have extra food and snacks on-hand in case of emergency.
Two heads are better than one. Married drivers are more cautious than single drivers when on the road:
- 90 per cent of married drivers decrease their speed in snowy conditions versus 78 per cent of single drivers.
- Married drivers are more likely to install winter tires on their vehicles than single drivers (68 per cent versus 51 per cent).
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A verbal survey? What people SAY and what people actually DO are usually two different things. Sadly, confidence and naivete are hard to tell apart these days.