TORONTO (Nov. 4, 2002) — Whether it’s distracted mobile phone junkies, monstrous sport utility vehicles, or belligerent road ragers, Canadians have plenty of opinions about what drives them crazy on the roads, according to the results of the Goodyear Safety Survey released today.

Despite the convenience of mobile phones and the important communications link they can provide in emergency situations, 93 per cent of those surveyed feel that operating a mobile phone while driving a vehicle impairs a person’s ability to concentrate on driving safely. Seventy-eight per cent said the law should prohibit driving a vehicle while operating a mobile phone.

Despite these criticisms, a third (33%) of Canadians who drive admit to talking on a mobile phone while behind the wheel.

Those surveyed also expressed concern about road rage. More than a third (36 per cent) of Canadian drivers report being on the receiving end of road rage at least once. Drivers in Ontario (40 per cent) and British Columbia (41 per cent) report these incidents most often.

Twenty-eight per cent of male drivers and 15 per cent of female drivers admit to blowing a gasket themselves, for a national average of 21 per cent. Patience comes with age. While 39 per cent of 18-29 year-old drivers admit to road rage, only 13 per cent of those 50 and older say they’ve boiled over.

Nearly 40 per cent said there should be a different driving test and license for those who drive large sport utility vehicles instead of the current test for all types of passenger automobiles. Forty per cent also feel SUVs are a greater hazard on the road than cars.

The telephone survey was conducted by Thompson Lightstone & Co. in July 2002 with a representative sample of 1,000 Canadians. The margin of error is plus/minus 3.1% and is accurate 19 times out of 20.