This week, the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) and the Toyota Canada Foundation, launched Brain on Board, a public education program aimed at increasing consumer awareness of vehicle safety systems. Recently released statistics have shown that as much as a third of all Canadians aren’t familiar with modern vehicle safety systems.
The foundation for Brain on Board was a national research initiative, led by the TIRF with funding provided by the Toyota Canada Foundation. Labeled Vehicle Safety Features, Knowledge, Perceptions and Driving Habits, the initiative was the largest of its kind ever conducted in Canada, with 2,506 individuals from across the country being asked 120 questions to assess their knowledge and perceptions on vehicle safety features and the impact they have on driving habits.
Based on the findings, TIRF President Bryan Robertson said “Canadians believe they are safer drivers than others on the road. This leads to a false belief that the risk of driver safety sits with others and not with me.”
When posed the question about their own driving, those surveyed rated themselves 8 out 10 in terms of safety, while rating other motorists at 5 out of 10, nevertheless when it came to new vehicle purchases, Canadians surveyed ranked safety features as the second most important consideration after price and ahead of other important factors such as fuel economy and reliability.
“Cars today are equipped with more safety features than ever before,” remarked Stephen Beatty, director of the Toyota Canada Foundation. “Knowing more about them is an important part of making the most of your car’s safety features.” Through the Brain on Board campaign, Beatty said the goal is to “empower Canadians to learn more about how their cars work and use that knowledge every time they get behind the wheel.”
TIRF’s Bryan Robertson added, “drivers need to understand their safety features so they can make the best use of these technologies. At the end of the day, it is a combination of the car’s features and having an alert and skilled driver behind the wheel that gives us the best chance to drive safely.”
