Avoiding tickets and preventing accidents is all about timing
Posted Jun 24th 2012 3:00PM
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Let's face it we have all broken the law on the road at some point. If you are reading this on your mobile phone in traffic, well first of all stop it and second of all you are guilty. However, more often than not, we simply fail to observe posted signs and limits or just have a momentary lapse in judgement or concentration and blam, the boys in blue are waiting. But we at Autoblog Canada want to give a you a shot at avoiding tickets and more importantly, accidents armed with the knowledge of when and perhaps why these faux pas happen behind the wheel.
What we learned from the stats after the jump is that Spring driving season is ticket season. No shocker there because as soon as the nice weather hits, Canadians want to go on vacations and road trips. Add to that the tourists using our roadways only amplifies the congestion as everyone scrambles for some sort of vacation destination alongside commuters. The rush to beat the traffic and get more free time makes drivers impatient, causing them to take risks and since the police know this they are at the ready with a weekend blitz and plenty of spot checks for alcohol.
And then there is the psychology attached to Canadians being coup'ed up for months of dreary winter and finally hitting the open road in the spring air. It all adds up to one thing, the majority of tickets (nearly 30 per cent) are dished out between March, April and May. And surprise, surprise the majority of accidents, all 29.5% of the total occur doing the same three months.
Your safest time to drive and avoid accidents? Well that occurs every Fall, hit the jump for all the stats.
Driving season = ticket and accident season
With the Victoria Day long weekend now in the rearview mirror, the unofficial driving season has begun. Not only do tourists and vacationers add to the usual amount of traffic we face on our everyday routes, but the weekends are busier than usual, with people travelling to cottages, golf courses and plenty of road tripping.
The pleasant driving conditions that come with spring and summer, and have us rolling down the windows to enjoy the breeze however, also come with a price; drivers are more likely to get a ticket, or be involved in an accident according to online quote comparison website Kanetix.ca.
Ticket time
Based on the driving details of car insurance shoppers at Kanetix.ca in 2011, almost 15 per cent of drivers have at least one ticket on their driving record. And, of all the tickets 30 per cent were received in the spring months: March April and May, with summer not far behind.
· 21.5 per cent occurred in December, January or February
· 29.9 per cent happened in March, April or May
· 26.7 per cent took place in June, July or August
· 21.9 per cent happened in September, October or November
So, what's it mean? Watch how you are driving because chances are someone else is too.
Accidently-speaking
Similarly, 30 per cent of car accidents also happened in spring; and summer doesn't offer much in the way of relief either as it comes in a very close second:
· 22.3% occurred in December, January or February
· 29.5% happened in March, April or May
· 26.7% took place in June, July or August
· 21.5% happened in September, October or November
As the summer driving season heats up, and traffic increases, keep your cool and remember to drive safely; speeding, tailgating, driving distracted or sleepy, and weaving in and out of traffic can all lead to collisions. Stay safe and observe the rules of the road, and you'll enjoy the ride along the way.
News Source: Insurance Bureau of Canada via Kanetix
