Aggressive driving and texting among Islanders' top concerns on P.E.I. roads, survey finds

The results are in from a government survey about highway safety on P.E.I., and they show that Islanders don't think the roads are as safe as they should be.

More than 1,700 Islanders completed the survey, titled Pathways to Highway Safety, which asked participants to weigh in on road use, safety concerns and driving behaviours.

On overall road safety, only seven per cent of respondents felt that P.E.I. roads are 'very safe,' whereas the remaining 93 per cent felt they are only 'somewhat safe,' 'not at all safe' or were unsure. 

Aggressive driving, texting while driving and driving after consuming cannabis were identified by survey participants as the most increased high-risk behaviours observed over the past five years.

Some drivers on P.E.I. say they see bad habits every day.

Oliver Chavez says he generally feels safe on the highway, but has noticed an increase in dangerous and distracted driving in the last few years.

"Every now and then you’ll see people like, driving on the wrong side of the road or maybe on their phones or just doing every kind of weird [thing]," Chavez said.

He believes an increased police presence on highways could help reduce speeding.

Frank McQuaid described P.E.I. drivers' behaviours as much more aggressive these days.

"Passing in places where it’s not safe to pass, using bicycle lanes on the side of the street as a way to get around the traffic, you know, just pass wherever there’s a space, doesn’t matter if it’s for bicycles or pedestrians," he said.

But McQuaid said one of the biggest culprits, in his opinion, is drivers being too polite.

"Some really kind of seemingly harmless things that people do, like giving the right of way," he said. "You come to an intersection… you have to stop, but they insist that you go."

McQuaid said he also notices a lot of drivers on their phones, and feels that even hands-free phones can be a distraction for drivers.

The province's chief engineer, Stephen Yeo, said department staff have seen and heard concerns like this firsthand.