An estimated 160,000 car accidents occur each year in Canada. Of them, 2,800 to 2,900 result in death, according to a report from the Canadian Transportation Safety Board. Distracted driving is one of the major causes of collisions, injuries and deaths, and it is on the rise. According to Transport Canada, distracted driving accounts for 21% of fatal collisions every year, a number that is up from 16% a decade ago.
Distracted driving is defined as any of the following:
- Taking your eyes off the road
- Taking your hands off the steering wheel
- Thinking about anything other than driving
New driver-assistance technologies could reduce crashes and save thousands of lives each year. More specifically, a study from Transport Canada demonstrated that automatic emergency braking (AEB) and pedestrian AEB (PAEB) technologies can significantly lower road fatalities and injuries.
The numbers tell a story
A recent AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study in the U.S. found that large-scale deployment of crash-avoidance technology could prevent 40% of all passenger-car crashes. Additionally, the safety technology could prevent 37% of injuries and 29% of deaths associated with passenger auto crashes.
Safety features
Does your car have some of the latest crash-avoidance features?
- Forward collision warning: Detects and warns the driver of a potential forward collision.
- Forward collision warning plus autobrake: Detects and warns the driver of a potential forward collision, plus offers automatic braking support (usually when the car is moving faster than 5 mph).
- Lane departure warning: Detects and warns the driver when the car drifts into another lane.
- Blind spot detection: Warns the driver of a car in their blind spot.
- Rear automatic braking: Applies brakes to prevent a rear collision when backing up.
- Rearview cameras/backup cameras: Provides the driver with a clear view directly behind their car.
- Rear cross-traffic alert: Alerts the driver of a potential rear collision that may be outside the view of the backup camera.
If you’re in the market for a new car, there’s a host of additional technology that may be available to ensure your safety while on the road. Features include traffic jam assist, which allows a car to automatically accelerate and brake with the flow of traffic, and adaptive cruise control, which automatically adjusts a car’s speed to maintain a set following distance from other cars.
According to a study released by Desjardins Insurance, 52% of drivers believe that car safety features help reduce collisions, and 51% think these features are needed to keep roads safer.
The insurance market today and what’s on the horizon
The government of Canada supports adding crash-avoidance technology to today’s cars and is looking to update its regulations regarding these features. However, it appears that Canada is behind in awareness and training.
The government of Canada has a website that educates consumers about the types of safety technologies in cars, when to use them, and how they work to improve driver and pedestrian safety.
Though auto manufacturers are offering new safety technology, the auto insurance market hasn’t yet addressed the potential for rate adjustments in light of the new features. Experts say there hasn’t been enough data collected to reflect the positive statistics that organizations in Canada or in the U.S. have published. They cite car manufacturers’ reluctance to provide detailed information on models sold with those features, a lack of consistent standards, drivers’ unpredictable use of the systems and higher repair costs.
Contact us to understand how your car’s safety features might affect your insurance rates. If you’re shopping for a new car, we can help by offering rate comparisons for the different cars you are considering.
Reliance Insurance supports clients across Canada through a national network of offices and globally through our broker network partners.