Road safety: Test your knowledge

True or false?

1. At night, you must keep your eyes on what's illuminated by your headlights.
2. Driving aggressively can increase your fuel consumption and costs.
3. The safe distance you must maintain between your vehicle and the one in front of you is the equivalent of 3 seconds or more.
4. Most accidents caused by distracted driving occur in the morning.
5. Alcohol consumption and fatigue are equally dangerous when driving.
6. Using your phone in hands-free mode while driving poses no danger.
7. Child car seats are effective in preventing injuries and deaths.
8. Tires with a thickness of 1.6 mm (2/32 in) or less must be changed.
9. A 1 km/h increase in speed can result in a 3% higher risk of collision.
10. When you see a pothole, you shouldn't break.

Answers

1. At night, you must keep your eyes on what's illuminated by your headlights.

False. You must look beyond the range of your headlights. It's also best to reduce your speed and keep a greater distance from the vehicle in front of you when driving at night.¹

2. Driving aggressively can increase your fuel consumption and costs.

True. Speeding, sudden braking and other aggressive manoeuvres have a direct impact on your fuel consumption. These days, fuel-efficient driving is recommended and can save you up to 25% in fuel, in addition to being safer.²

3. The safe distance you must maintain between your vehicle and the one in front of you is the equivalent of 3 seconds or more.

True. Whenever you follow another vehicle, you need enough space to react, break and stop safely. The recommended following distance is at least 3 seconds in summer and even more in winter.³

4. Most accidents caused by distracted driving occur in the morning.

False. They're actually more frequent between noon and 5:59 p.m. As for the riskiest time of the year for distracted driving, 50% of these accidents occur in summer, between May and September.⁴

5. Alcohol and fatigue are equally dangerous when driving.

True. The mental and physical abilities of someone who's been awake for 17 hours are similar to someone with an alcohol level of 0.05%. Their ability to drive may suffer at this point. This is why almost every province and territory in Canada imposes administrative licence suspensions on drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05% or more.⁵

6. Using your phone in hands-free mode while driving poses no danger.

False. Although legally permitted, talking on the phone in hands-free mode is considered distracted driving and therefore not safe.⁶

7. Child car seats are effective in preventing injuries and deaths.

True. The risk of injury and death is reduced by up to 70% with a properly installed car seat. If you have young children, consult the Secure Them for Life brochure to make sure their seats are installed correctly.⁷

8. Tires with a thickness of 1.6 mm (2/32 in) or less must be changed.

True. The minimum tread depth of tires is regulated. It must not be less than 1.6 mm (2/32 in). Check with your mechanic if you're unsure.⁸

9. A 1 km/h increase in speed can result in a 3% higher risk of collision.

True. An increase in average speed of 1 km/h typically results in a 3% higher risk of a crash involving injury, and a 4–5% increase for crashes that result in fatalities.⁹

10. When you see a pothole, you shouldn't break.

True. Although it may seem counterintuitive, you should not brake suddenly. If you cannot avoid the pothole, slow down and release the brakes. Slowing down will reduce the mechanical impact on your car.¹⁰