Calgary won official recognition for being one of the worst cities for crashes

[Dion]

According to the yearly Allstate Safe Driving Study, Calgary comes in at a dismal 55 out of 81 communities. Allstate conducts its study by looking at how often its customers collide — and not necessarily with each other. Calgary’s ranking would probably be even grimmer if other drivers’ records were taken into consideration; not everyone is insured by Allstate.

Typical is the report that 660AM tweeted as I was writing this: “EB smash-up on G’more on the causeway blocking 2 lanes. Stacks up traffic past a now-slow SB Crowchild.” To which exasperated commuters can only reply: “What else is new?”

Lisa McWatt, director of brand innovation for Allstate Canada, said she thinks the problem is drivers’ behaviour: “We think that’s really about people rushing around and not driving with the care they should.”

The top cause, responsible for 35 per cent of accidents, is that the driver “failed to look properly.” This is followed by “failed to judge other person’s path or speed; careless, reckless or in a hurry; loss of control; poor turn or manoeuvre; travelling too fast for conditions; slippery road due to weather; sudden braking, and following too closely.”

Let’s customize a list for Calgary: Using exit lanes as passing lanes and then cutting across back into the flow of traffic at the last moment. Hogging the left lane as though it’s a Sunday in 1890 and you’re driving a horseless carriage, thus forcing others to pass you on the right. Weaving in and out of traffic at top speed. Tailgating — and rear-ending the driver in front of you when he brakes suddenly due to someone else’s shenanigans ahead of him. Refusing to let someone in who is desperately trying to merge because his lane is ending. Insisting on turning left in front of oncoming traffic who now have the green light, even though your own left-turn signal has changed to red. Talking on your cellphone or texting, because the law about distracted driving is for everyone else, not you.

http://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/lakritz-3

[blueski]

Out of those 85 areas, I bet Calgary has one of the highest rankings in terms of traffic density on winter roads.

[Red Slinger]

Having lived in a few cities both in Canada and abroad I've found that the Calgary driving culture is aggressive and generally nerve-wracking.

People speed, tailgate, weave in and out of traffic, don't signal, don't make space and are generally 'on edge'. Which is funny because I've also found Calgarians to be really nice outside their cars. It may be a Dr.Jekyl/Mr.Hyde thing. Drivers in Calgary almost seem to be competitive on the roads. It's an odd dichotomy.

[Dan02]

55 of 81 isn't great but it's hardly dismal given the density of the traffic and crappy road conditions that can spring up on people from anywhere from september to june.

I would like to file the followup report, crappy drivers found in pretty much every city and town.

[Slava]

I thought the oil price crash would've propelled us into the top ten for sure!

[WhiteTiger]

Yeah, this is no surprise.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by Dion

Let’s customize a list for Calgary: Using exit lanes as passing lanes and then cutting across back into the flow of traffic at the last second.

I'm sure it's far from the only spot it happens in this city, but the above occurs every single morning on EB Glenmore going by the 14th St SB exit, it's insane. Last year when I still did that commute, I just learned to always be in the far left lane, because the middle lane is going to see everyone slamming on their breaks just as you pass that exit from someone doing that. Every single day, it's so crazy.

It's especially bad because you pass that exit only about a minute after Glenmore bottlenecks from people coming off Crowchild and haven't gotten far enough left yet. I've seen it so many times when they have a space to get over earlier, but bizarrely won't do it until the very last second when the lane is ending and they've lost their opening. Guess it's just funner that way? Such a sketchy area in rush hour.


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[PepsiFree]

The second biggest problem in Calgary (outside of people simply not paying attention) is "statement drivers," or, drivers who need to prove a point. Whether that's trying to close gaps so nobody can enter, maintain slower speeds in lanes because 'I'm going fast enough!', speeding up when your just behind someone about the merge, or people who brake-test and tailgate when someone upsets them.

Driving is not personal. Grow up.

If everyone simply followed the guideline of not impeding others, regardless of how you feel they're following your personal set of moral road standards, everyone would be a lot happier and accidents would drop.

[FlamingHomer]

I used to be a sales rep and my territory was from Thunder Bay to Alaska. I am afraid I have to agree with the findings. Calgary is definitely one of the most aggressive driving markets (if you call it that) that I have ever been in. I do feel it matches the ambitious persona of their population though.

Having said that, I would kill to have that same level of "bad" here in Panama. This has to be one of the worst on the planet. The weird thing is, no one is ever in a hurry until they get in a car. There is a saying here- There are two kinds of cars, those that have been in an accident and those that will be.

[tete]

Originally Posted by FlamingHomer

I used to be a sales rep and my territory was from Thunder Bay to Alaska. I am afraid I have to agree with the findings. Calgary is definitely one of the most aggressive driving markets (if you call it that) that I have ever been in. I do feel it matches the ambitious persona of their population though.

Having said that, I would kill to have that same level of "bad" here in Panama. This has to be one of the worst on the planet. The weird thing is, no one is ever in a hurry until they get in a car. There is a saying here- There are two kinds of cars, those that have been in an accident and those that will be.

We just got home from Costa Rica and I made the same comment about Tico drivers - super laid back culture, things happen when they happen - EXCEPT behind the wheel and then they're speed demons with zero regard for anyone else on the road. So much illegal passing, no lights on at night, no signal lights, etc. It was crazy driving there.

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by tete

We just got home from Costa Rica and I made the same comment about Tico drivers - super laid back culture, things happen when they happen - EXCEPT behind the wheel and then they're speed demons with zero regard for anyone else on the road. So much illegal passing, no lights on at night, no signal lights, etc. It was crazy driving there.

I took a bus in Costa Rica once that drove pretty much the entire trip from one town to another on the wrong side of the road, only swerving back onto our own side when forced to by a vehicle coming the other direction. It was one time I was glad to be near the back, where I couldn't see well!

[Jayems]

The ads... they're... evolving.

[Kavvy]

I believe the story and also admit I need to drive a lot less aggressive.

I also don't whine when I get a ticket, as rare as it is. I deserve the ticket.

This will give me hate on this board, but the city needs to increase fines. I pay about $130 every 2 years in 1 photo radar ticket and I can essentially speed 20km/hr over most posted speed limits without too much worry (of course there are limits).

I am in the camp that for some reason thinks my driving is better than the avg citizen despite my speeding. Yet, speeding still kills and for some reason, when some of us get into a car we just turn stupid.

[FlamingHomer]

Originally Posted by Kavvy

I believe the story and also admit I need to drive a lot less aggressive.

I also don't whine when I get a ticket, as rare as it is. I deserve the ticket.

This will give me hate on this board, but the city needs to increase fines. I pay about $130 every 2 years in 1 photo radar ticket and I can essentially speed 20km/hr over most posted speed limits without too much worry (of course there are limits).

I am in the camp that for some reason thinks my driving is better than the avg citizen despite my speeding. Yet, speeding still kills and for some reason, when some of us get into a car we just turn stupid.

Legitimate question: Do you think you would improve your driving if you couldn't afford the fines? I know a lot of people straightened up when the impaired driving charges were dramatically increased.

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by FlamingHomer

Legitimate question: Do you think you would improve your driving if you couldn't afford the fines? I know a lot of people straightened up when the impaired driving charges were dramatically increased.

Yes. I can currently drive nearly without worry. Slow down at this light because there is a red light camera, move on after.

Same thing with distracted driving. Raise the fine. It kills, yet a great deal of drivers do it.

Wasn't the fine for old vehicle noise bylaw (the one that didn't work out) higher than distracted driving or something stupid like that?

One thing I would love to see is police actually giving out fines for tailgating. Despite my aggressive and speedy driving, at least I never tailgate.

[psicodude]

A lot of the blame has to go to the road design itself as it sets people up for failure. The endless amount of on/off ramp weaves and randomly ending lanes force people to change lanes at the worst time. I would like to see how many accidents on Glenmore, Deerfoot, and Crowchild are a result of a driver shoulder checking before a lane change just as the car in front of them slams on the brakes. I bet it's close to 50%.

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by psicodude

A lot of the blame has to go to the road design itself as it sets people up for failure. The endless amount of on/off ramp weaves and randomly ending lanes force people to change lanes at the worst time. I would like to see how many accidents on Glenmore, Deerfoot, and Crowchild are a result of a driver shoulder checking before a lane change just as the car in front of them slams on the brakes. I bet it's close to 50%.

When they redid the Glenmore bridge, why did eastbound get two lanes from Crowchild to 14 street, but not westbound? That drives me nuts.

The 14street and crowchild overpasses are about a .5 Km too close for the volume they see and the traffic that is weaving.... not really the cities fault I guess and it was grandfathered over years and years through normal city evolution.

[Harry Lime]

From time to time, I see people driving in a reckless manner, tailgating and speeding, and end up seeing them at their destination later (a grocery store, or some such) slowly easing out of the vehicle, and sauntering up to the door of the shop. Where did the urgency go?

It makes me want to follow them into the store, grab a cart, and follow them around about 10 cm behind, muttering 'come on, come on, hurry up'.

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

From time to time, I see people driving in a reckless manner, tailgating and speeding, and end up seeing them at their destination later (a grocery store, or some such) slowly easing out of the vehicle, and sauntering up to the door of the shop. Where did the urgency go?

It makes me want to follow them into the store, grab a cart, and follow them around about 10 cm behind, muttering 'come on, come on, hurry up'.

That is a rational argument. The problem is, like I said in my above post, when a lot of us get into a car, rational arguments loose their value and our brains go stupid.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by psicodude

A lot of the blame has to go to the road design itself as it sets people up for failure. The endless amount of on/off ramp weaves and randomly ending lanes force people to change lanes at the worst time. I would like to see how many accidents on Glenmore, Deerfoot, and Crowchild are a result of a driver shoulder checking before a lane change just as the car in front of them slams on the brakes. I bet it's close to 50%.

I wouldn't say so. Calgary is significantly less complicated or timing-dependant as cities much bigger and with much heavier traffic.

The fault here is the drivers, period. Road design may add to it but not in a Calgary specific sense.

Calgary driving is a breeze compared to most places.