A new online poll of 1,657 licensed Ontario drivers conducted by INNOVATIVE on behalf of 407 ETR from October 26th to November 1st, 2021, finds that confident drivers are more likely to use winter tires, and reveals insights into Ontarians’ winter driving preparedness and attitudes.
Confidence
It is perhaps not a huge surprise that respondents who report feeling very confident in their winter driving abilities plan to drive more during the winter. Interestingly, these drivers don’t just feel confident, they appear to take the steps needed to ensure their road safety. For instance, drivers who report feeling very confident driving in winter conditions are 10 pts. more likely to have winter tires than those who say they’re not very confident/not at all confident.
Preparedness
The research reveals that most Ontario drivers use winter tires. Sixty-six percent (66%) say they always put snow tires on their vehicles. Over half (56%) say they feel prepared for an emergency, higher among Baby Boomers (64%) than among Generation Z (37%).
When asked about their roadside safety measures, most drivers (72%) report having a roadside assistance service, half (53%) say they have an emergency kit, but only very few (15%) report having a high-visibility vest. Even fewer, (11%) say they have all three safety measures.
