Auto insurance claims related to road rage in Ontario are up by 9.25% over the past five years, Canadian insurtech MyChoice reports.
Brampton tops the list of the Ontario cities reporting the most claims related to aggressive driving. The city had 6.05 road rage-related insurance claims per 100 auto insurance quotes (or 6.05%).
North York (4.63%) and Scarborough (4.5%) rank second and third, respectively, on the list of road rage incidents in the province.
Rounding out the Top 10 list are:
- Hamilton (3.84%)
- Mississauga (3.52%)
- Toronto (3.12%)
- London (3.04%)
- Etobicoke (2.89%)
- Oshawa (2.37%)
- Kitchener (2.29%)
MyChoice’s study analyzed data drawn from more than 150,000 car insurance quotes in Ontario since 2020. Claims related to road rage include infractions such as speeding, failure to stop, failure to signal, improper lane change, improper passing, following too closely, and distracted driving.
Even though Ontario operates under a no-fault insurance system, fault determinations and claims history still significantly influence drivers’ premiums, MyChoice warns.
“Road rage can affect your driving focus and increase the likelihood of accidents or infractions, both of which can spike your insurance premiums,” says MyChoice CEO Aren Mirzaian.
A May 2024 report by insurance aggregator RATESDOTCA shows insurance premiums could increase anywhere between 10% and 30% if the driver is held liable for an accident caused by road rage.
And if brokers send insureds to Facility Association, a pool established by insurers to cover high-risk drivers, premium prices could be anywhere between $8,000 to $20,000 higher than the average auto insurance premium, RATESDOTCA says.
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MyChoice cited a number of recent road rage incidents, including a Jan. 5 incident in northern Ontario, when a man driving a Honda Accord saw a white Rav 4 ahead of him swerve into the lane of oncoming traffic.
The driver of the Honda flashed his bright lights at the Rav 4, intended as a signal to stay in the lane.
Dashcam footage posted to CBC News showed the white Rav 4 pulled over to the side of the two-lane highway. The driver of the Honda Accord, who is a health care professional, also pulled over, reportedly wondering if the driver ahead needed medical attention.
Dashcam footage then shows the White Rav 4 attempting to back up at full speed and ram the Honda. When that doesn’t work out, the driver of the Rav 4 swerves onto the highway so that its front end faces the Honda, and then drives head-on into the Honda, pushing it backwards onto a bridge. The driver of the Rav 4 then attempts to swerve the crashed Honda in a way to send it over the side of the bridge.
The Honda driver, who was on a call with 9-1-1 during the incident, managed to escape. Police reportedly had to use a spike strip to stop the Rav 4 and charged the driver with dangerous operation of a vehicle and resisting arrest.
In May 2024, five people were injured, two seriously, due to a road rage incident in which one car came to a full stop at midnight on Highway 403 in Mississauga. CityNews reported at the time that the incident arose from one driver tailgating another on the highway.
Three cars smashed into the stationary cars, including an SUV that flipped into the ditch. Two people were reportedly seriously injured, and three others were treated for minor injuries.
To avoid provoking road rage incidents, police advise to avoid last-minute lane changes, let faster motorists pass, and avoid honking your horn when possible. And if the incident leads to a collision, victims should remain in their vehicles if possible (unless it would be dangerous to do so), and remain calm so they don’t escalate the situation.
Feature image courtesy of iStock.com/RapidEye
