Featured Post from CAA Club Group

MEDIA RELEASE: After a one-year hiatus, the annual CAA Worst Roads campaign returns

Mar 23, 2021

3 min


With a renewed focus on education and safety, CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is proud to announce that following a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the annual CAA Worst Roads Campaign is back, and voting is now open.


“The campaign is a platform for all road users to highlight which roadway improvements should be prioritized by our different levels of government,” says Raymond Chan, government relations manager CAA SCO. “The campaign gives decision-makers a snapshot of what roads the public perceives are not meeting their expectations.”


Over the course of the last year people have changed their transportation habits. More people are cycling or driving their vehicles instead of carpooling and using public transit. CAA believes funding for roadway improvements needs to be consistent to ensure that quality and safety is maintained.


“Our roads are essential, they are the arteries used every day to keep workers, goods and services flowing and should be maintained more than ever,” adds Chan. “As people are encouraged to stay home and telework during the pandemic, governments should continue to take advantage of lighter traffic patterns as an opportunity for road repair. These efforts can also be refocused on increasingly popular modes of transportation, such as cycling and walking.”


Investing in infrastructure improvements, including the proper maintenance of roads and bridges, is important to the vitality and economic recovery of local communities. CAA continues to advocate for longer-term dedicated infrastructure funding to help municipalities prepare, plan, budget and execute on repair backlogs and capital projects.


The success stories over the last 17 years are a result of governments prioritizing infrastructure through multi-year capital investments. Some examples include:


1. Riverdale Drive, Washago

  • Despite appearing on the CAA Worst Roads list for the first time in 2019, the poor road conditions of Riverdale Drive was not new to residents of Severn.
  • After 20 years since the street’s last resurfacing, Council approved $50,000 of prep work for Riverdale Drive led by Ward 5 Councillor Sarah Valiquette.


2. Dufferin Street, Toronto

  • Appearing on the provincial top 10 list annually since 2015, Dufferin Street between Bloor Street and Dundas Street underwent resurfacing from September to November 2018.
  • An estimated 35,000 vehicles travel Dufferin Street daily and the number of commuters is increasing.
  • In response to community concerns, Toronto City Council adopted a motion to expedite studies relating to pedestrian and cyclist safety along Dufferin Street, among other improvements in December 2020.


3. College Road, Windsor

  • The intersection of Campbell and College Avenue underwent sewer, road and watermain rehabilitation in May 2019.
  • College Avenue between South Street and Brock Street was repaired in November 2019.


CAA is calling on all Ontarians to vote for their Worst Roads today and join the community of drivers, cyclists, transit riders and pedestrians committed to improving Ontario’s roads.


Nominations for CAA’s Worst Roads can be cast at caaworstroads.com until April 18. To encourage participants to act on their concerns, they will be entered into a grand prize draw to win free gas for a year, or one of 5 secondary prizes.


Once voting closes, CAA will compile a list of the 10 Worst Roads in Ontario, along with the Worst Roads in regions across the province. The regional top five lists will help shine further light on the state of local roads in municipalities across Ontario.


CAA will present the list of 2021 Worst Roads to local and provincial officials to help inform future funding and planning decisions.


Here is a roundup of Ontario's Top 10 Worst Roads in 2019:

1. Eglinton Avenue East, Toronto

2. Riverdale Drive, Washago

3. Dufferin Street, Toronto

4. County Road 49, Prince Edward

5. Barton Street East, Hamilton 6. Burlington Street East, Hamilton

7. Avondale Road, Belleville

8. Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto

9. Carnegie Beach Road, Scugog

10. Bathurst Street, Toronto

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MEDIA RELEASE: Nearly All Manitoba Parents Report Unsafe Driving in School Zones, CAA Study Finds.

With the new school year days away, CAA Manitoba (CAA MB) is releasing new findings on school zone safety. A recent survey found that nearly all (90 per cent) Manitoba parents and guardians have reported unsafe driving behaviours in their school zone. As a result, most parents (62 per cent) consider their child’s school zone very unsafe. “Every parent wants to see their child to and from school safely,” says Ewald Friesen, manager, government & community Relations for CAA Manitoba. “Driving dangerously in areas where vulnerable road users are active such as children, always presents heightened road safety concerns.” Parents call for greater safety precautions in school zones According to the data, parents cited speeding, drivers blocking school bus zones and distracted driving as the most dangerous driving behaviours they witnessed in their school zone. The study also found that 43 per cent of parents choose to drive their kids to school over walking, cycling or taking a school bus, contributing to the increase in vehicle traffic in these areas. “This is an eight per cent increase in parents driving their children compared to our last survey in 2023,” says Friesen. “Parents stated their reasons for driving their children included convenience and distance between home and school, but the most concerning answer was because of traffic safety concerns.” Most Manitoba parents favour greater safety precautions in school zones, including lower speed limits, enhanced infrastructure, improved enforcement and education. The data shows that the majority of parents (83 per cent) support reducing speed limits in school zones during the school year, a common practice in the province. A majority of parents also believe that automated speed enforcement (ASE) is an effective deterrent to speeding in school zones, while recognizing there are other tools, including speed bumps and digital speed detection signs, as effective ways to slow drivers around their child’s school. CAA Manitoba is encouraging motorists to make responsible driving choices to protect children as they travel to and from school. CAA Manitoba has the following tips when travelling in school zones: Help reduce traffic with active school travel: Encourage your kids to walk or wheel to school to ease traffic congestion. If your school is a further distance, CAA MB encourages parents and guardians to park a block away and walk to school to reduce the volume of vehicles and improve sightlines. Put away distractions: It’s important to put away distractions such as phones and be extra attentive in school zones for both motorists and pedestrians. Slow down: Know and respect the speed limit in your neighbourhood’s school zones. Give yourself plenty of time to drop off your kids at school to avoid rushing. Choose a safe spot to drop off and pick up your children from school: Follow your school’s rules and avoid double parking or stopping on crosswalks, dropping off or picking up your kids on the opposite side of the street, and stopping in moving traffic as kids rush out. Instead, use the designated drop-off areas or consider a spot a bit farther away from school that is easily accessible and safe. Make eye contact with pedestrians: With the excitement of going back to school, anticipate that children may not easily see or hear your moving vehicle, so make eye contact with pedestrians crossing the road. Stop for school buses: Never pass a stopped school bus with an activated stop arm and flashing red lights as children get on and off the bus. Passing a school bus as it loads and unloads children – not only is this dangerous, but it’s also illegal. Watch for CAA School Safety Patrollers: When travelling through school zones, watch for CAA School Safety Patrollers in their lime green safety vests, as they play an important role in ensuring the roadway is safe before kids cross on their own. Visit schoolpatrolmanitoba.com for more information. CAA supports safety in school zones through the CAA School Safety Patrol® program. The program was developed to protect, educate and empower elementary school children on safe road-crossing practices. For more school zone safety tips, visit caamanitoba.com/schoolzonesafety. The online survey was conducted by DIG Insights in May 2025, with 516 Manitoba parents/guardians with children attending school from kindergarten to grade 8. Based on the sample size of n=516 and with a confidence level of 95 per cent, the margin of error for this research is +/- 3%.)

3 min

MEDIA RELEASE: Congestion in School Zones Sparks Safety Concerns Among Ontario Parents, CAA Survey Finds

New findings from CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) show that parents believe that school zone congestion is increasing. Eight in 10 Ontario parents report traffic buildup during both drop-off (81 per cent) and pick-up (84 per cent) times. These numbers are up from 77 per cent and 79 per cent in 2024, respectively. “Every parent wants to see their child get to school safely, and an increase in vehicle traffic in these areas can pose a serious safety risk to young road users,” says Lauren Fisher, manager, government relations for CAA SCO. “Our survey reveals that parents are choosing to drive their kids to school because of the distance between home and school, convenience and traffic safety concerns.” Parents Support Stricter School Zone Safety Measures A majority of parents (83 per cent) have reported seeing unsafe driving behaviours in their child’s school zone – up three per cent from 2024. As a result, most parents (63 per cent) consider their child’s school zone very unsafe, a number that has climbed since 2023 (55 per cent). “Speeding, stopping in undesignated areas and double parking are all commonly reported unsafe driving behaviours parents see in their child’s school zones,” says Fisher. “To help deal with that, most parents are in favour of increasing safety precautions in school zones, including improved enforcement and penalties.” Most parents are in favour of reducing the speed limit in school zones, with nearly half considering 30km/h as the most appropriate speed in these areas. Many parents also believe that automated speed enforcement (ASE) effectively deters speeding in school zones. With the new school year just days away, CAA SCO encourages motorists to make responsible driving choices to protect children as they travel to, from and around school. CAA SCO has the following tips when travelling in school zones: Help reduce traffic with active school travel: Encourage your kids to walk or wheel to school to ease traffic congestion. If your school is a further distance, CAA SCO encourages parents and guardians to park a block away and walk to school to reduce the volume of vehicles and improve sightlines. Put away distractions: It’s essential to put away distractions such as phones and be extra attentive in school zones, for both motorists and pedestrians. Slow down: Know and respect the speed limit in your neighbourhood’s school zones. Give yourself plenty of time to drop off your kids at school to avoid rushing. Choose a safe spot to drop off and pick up your children from school: Follow your school’s rules and avoid double parking or stopping on crosswalks, dropping off or picking up your kids on the opposite side of the street, and stopping in moving traffic as kids rush out. Instead, use the designated drop-off areas or consider a spot a bit farther away from school that is easily accessible and safe. Make eye contact with pedestrians: With the excitement of going back to school, anticipate that children may not easily see or hear your moving vehicle, so ensure to make eye contact with pedestrians crossing the road. Stop for school buses: Never pass a stopped school bus with an activated stop arm and flashing red lights as children get on and off the bus. Passing a school bus as it loads and unloads children – not only is this dangerous, but it’s also illegal. Watch for CAA School Safety Patrollers: When travelling through school zones, watch for CAA School Safety Patrollers in their lime green safety vests, as they play an important role in ensuring the roadway is safe before kids cross on their own. Visit caaschoolsafetypatrol.com for more information. For more school zone safety tips, visit caasco.com/schoolzone. CAA supports safety in school zones through the CAA School Safety Patrol® program, developed to protect and educate elementary school children on safe road-crossing practices. CAA’s Ontario Road Safety Resource is a toolkit with valuable lesson plans for teachers to help educate students about road safety. To learn more, please visit www.caasco.com/schoolzone. The online survey was conducted by DIG Insights in May 2025, with 1,511 Ontario parents/guardians with children attending school from kindergarten to grade 8. Based on the sample size of n=1,511 and with a confidence level of 95 per cent, the margin of error for this research is +/- 2%.)

3 min

MEDIA RELEASE: CAA Research Finds Distracted Driving and Speeding Are the Top Two Road Safety Concerns in Manitoba

A new survey conducted by CAA Manitoba found that Manitobans are very worried about the dangerous driving they’ve seen across the province, especially distracted driving and speeding. The study found that 88 per cent of Manitoba drivers feel somewhat or very concerned about distracted driving. According to Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI), distracted driving is now the number one cause of fatalities on Manitoba roadways. “It is no surprise that Manitobans are concerned about the dangerous driving they have witnessed, especially when it comes to distracted drivers,” says Ewald Friesen, manager, government & community relations for CAA Manitoba. “What is most concerning, however, is that currently, Manitoba does not have a specific distracted driving law, which could help deter distracted drivers and increase road safety.” CAA Manitoba’s research indicates that almost half (46 per cent) of Manitobans have admitted to being distracted drivers, while most (63 per cent) have witnessed a close-call collision or traffic violation caused by distracted driving. Most concerning, 13 per cent of drivers reported being directly involved in a collision due to distracted driving. Our research found that more than half of Manitobans believe increasing fines and penalties can discourage distracted drivers. “We know that drivers who text are far more likely to be involved in a crash or near-crash compared to non-distracted drivers,” adds Friesen. “Distractions inside and outside your vehicle can draw your focus away from where it needs to be most.” In addition to distracted driving, speeding continues to be a significant problem in Manitoba, and Automatic Speed Enforcement (ASE) may be an additional tool that has been shown in other jurisdictions to help. Additional research conducted by CAA shows that 82 per cent of Manitobans stated that speeding is also a problem this year. That same study found that 65 per cent of drivers support the use of ASE cameras. In fact, almost three-quarters of Manitobans say that ASE can help deter speeding and slow drivers down. “ASEs can be a valuable tool in positively shifting driver behaviour and protecting vulnerable road users, especially in areas with schools and community centres,” says Friesen. “Photo radar cameras should not be used as a revenue generator but rather as a tool to encourage safe driving behaviours, especially in school zones.” As of right now, Winnipeg is the only municipality in Manitoba with the right to use photo enforcement; however, other municipalities continue to lobby for similar rights. In addition to tools such as ASE cameras, Manitobans support higher fines and harsher penalties or suspensions, especially for repeat offenders. Over half of Manitobans (60 per cent) believe increasing the penalties on repeat offenders is the most effective way to discourage drivers from speeding, especially in school zones or near community centres. “CAA Manitoba continues to advocate for safer roads across all municipalities, especially for vulnerable road users,” says Friesen. “Standardized practices across municipalities regarding distracted driving laws and ASE cameras can help ensure that they are used in a predictable way that improves road safety and reinforces public trust.” For more information about dangerous driving and road safety, visit: www.caamanitoba.com/advocacy Speeding and Dangerous Driving Methodology The online survey was conducted by DIG Insights from March 7 to March 19, 2025, with 500 Manitoba drivers aged 18 and older. Based on the sample size of n=500 and with a confidence level of 95 per cent, the margin of error for this research is +/- 3%.) Distracted Driving Methodology The online survey was conducted by DIG Insights from February 11 to February 21, 2025, with 506 Manitoba drivers aged 18 and older. Based on the sample size of n=506 and with a confidence level of 95 per cent, the margin of error for this research is +/- 3%.)

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