Prepared for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
Supplier: Ekos Research Associates Inc.
Contract Number: 0D160-204960/001/CY
Contract Value: $76,188.60
Award Date: January 7, 2020
Delivery Date: February 24, 2020
Registration Number: POR 062-19
For more information on this report, please contact:
ps.communications-communications.sp@canada.ca
Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français
Public Opinion Research on Drug Impaired Driving
Summary
Prepared for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
Supplier name: Ekos Research Associates Inc.
Date: March 2020
This public opinion research report presents the results of an online survey conducted by Ekos Research Associates Inc. on behalf of Public safety Canada. The research study was conducted with 2,000 Canadians in January and February, 2020.
Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre Recherche sur l’opinion publique au sujet de la conduite avec les facultés affaiblies par la drogue.
This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from Public Services and Procurement Canada. For more information on this report, please contact Public Services and Procurement Canada at: tpsgc.questions-questions.pwgsc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca or at:
Communications Branch
Public Services and Procurement Canada
Portage III Tower A
16A1-11 Laurier Street
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Catalogue Number:
PS4-264/2020E-PDF
International Standard Book Number (ISBN):
978-0-660-35223-7
Related publications (registration number: POR 062-19):
Catalogue Number Catalogue Number PS4-264/2020F-PDF (Summary, French)
ISBN ISBN 978-0-660-35224-4
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, 2020
The safety and security of Canadians is a priority for the Government of Canada. Drug-impaired driving is a major contributor to fatal road crashes, and young people continue to be the largest group of drivers who die in crashes and test positive for drugs. To address this, Public Safety Canada developed a national marketing and multi-media advertising campaign in 2017 to inform Canadians, particularly youth aged 16 to 24, about the dangers and risks associated with drug-impaired driving. The campaign includes partnerships with key stakeholders (MADD, CAA, CACP, and Young Drivers of Canada), public communications and outreach, and paid media (advertising).
The purpose of the research is to examine current knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours related to the dangers and risks, as well as legal implications of drug-impaired driving, compared with the initial baseline measured in 2017. A key focus is on youth and parents of youth, given that youth are the primary target audience for the campaign. Specifically, the research measures:
The results will help to guide future communications activities, and highlight changes that have occurred among the target group and broader Canadian public since the start of the campaign in 2017.
The survey is comprised of 2,024 completed cases, including 401 with youth who are 16 to 24, and 404 parents of youth (16 to 24). This randomly recruited probability sample carries with it a margin of error of +/-2.18%. The margin of error for each of the target groups is +/-4.9%. The sample source is an in-house Probit panel of randomly recruited Canadians. Ten percent of the sample was collected with cell phone only sample. Fifteen percent were collected by trained, bilingual interviewers, while the majority were collected through online self-administration. Appendix A presents further methodological details of the survey.
The large majority of Canadians (84%) know someone who has used cannabis and three in five (60%) have consumed cannabis at some point in their lives (both indicators are a slight increase of 81% and 56%, respectively, in 2017). Of respondents who reported cannabis use, nearly three in five (58%; a notable increase from 39% in 2017) reported they are a recent cannabis user, having consumed it within in the past 12 months.
Consistent with 2017 results, over one-quarter (26%) of cannabis users reported they have operated a vehicle while under the influence. Nearly one in three Canadians also report that they have ridden in a vehicle operated by a driver who was under the effects of cannabis.
More than one in three (38%) parents of children ages 13 to 24 reported that their child has used cannabis. Most parents (81%) said their 16 to 24 year old has not driven a vehicle while under the influence of cannabis. Nearly six in ten, 58%, believe that their 13 to 24 year old has not accepted a ride with a driver under the influence of cannabis, although 33% are unsure. Eight in ten parents say they have had discussions with their 16 to 24 year old about driving high, although only 32% of young people 16 to 24 report the same.
Most Canadians perceive the detrimental impact of impairment on drivers, with an increasing understanding that cannabis affects one’s ability to drive. Nearly nine in ten (86%; an increase from 81% in 2017) agree that using cannabis impairs one's driving ability. Four in five say that cannabis impacts reaction time and ability to concentrate and nearly two in three (66%) say that cannabis makes the user a worse driver. Alcohol remains a greater concern, however, with 94% agreeing that drinking alcohol impairs driving. Nearly one in four (23%) continue to say that driving under the influence of cannabis is less dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol.
Half (49%) of Canadians perceive that the rate of driving while under the influence of cannabis has increased since legalization, and most are concerned (46%) or moderately concerned (29%) about others on the road who are driving under the influence of cannabis. The most pressing concerns over driving under the influence include hurting someone else (70%), generally getting into an accident (46%), or having a permanent criminal record (38%; an increase from 29% in 2017).
More than eight in ten Canadians (83%) believe it is not acceptable for people you know to drive high and only 6% say it is acceptable. On the other hand, Canadians are split on the variation in social acceptability of driving impaired compared with alcohol, with 42% saying it is more socially acceptable to drive under the influence of cannabis than alcohol and a further 10% saying they do not know.
Similar to 2017, over half of respondents reported that it is rare for people they know to drive under the influence, although 14% said it is common. Over one in three (37%) say they would be comfortable in reporting someone driving under the influence of cannabis to the police.
The incidence of searching for information on the effects of drugs on driving ability remains relatively low, with just three in ten respondents saying they have searched for this information. By a wide margin, health professionals are the most trusted source of information on the impacts of cannabis on driving ability, selected by more than half of respondents (58%), followed by law enforcement (30%).
Two in three Canadians are interested in learning more about the effects of cannabis on driving ability, followed by the length of time before it is safe to drive after using drugs. Canadians are also interested in learning about the effects of different forms of cannabis consumption (54%; not asked in 2017). Less than half (44%) would also like more information about how the police test for drugs or about the laws and penalties regarding driving while impaired (44%). Over one-third are interested in learning about their rights as a driver should they be pulled over.
Nine in ten (91%) Canadians recognize that it is illegal to operate a vehicle while under the influence, up from 83% in 2017. Four percent continue to believe it to be legal, but fewer Canadians are unsure (five percent) than in 2017 (11%).
Some Canadians are unsure about the amount of time a driver should wait before getting behind the wheel after consuming cannabis before it is safe to operate a vehicle. In fact, one-third said they "don’t know" (34%, although less than the 43% reported in 2017). A full 44% believe it requires three or more hours (up to a full night of sleep), which has increased from 31% found in 2017. Nonetheless, the same proportion as in 2017 still believe that less than three hours is needed (14%; 15% in 2017).
Numbers have risen in terms of Canadians’ awareness that police can detect impairment from cannabis among drivers stopped at the roadside. Nearly two in three (63%) believe that police are capable of determining whether a driver is impaired from cannabis, an increase from 45% in 2017.
Awareness of drug-impaired driving legal penalties is moderate with over one in four (27%) Canadians saying they are aware that penalties for driving while impaired from cannabis can include a fine, loss of licence, or imprisonment and criminal record. Another 32% say they are somewhat aware, although 40% report a lack of awareness. One in five (19%) Canadians feel they are aware of general laws around cannabis and the legal consequences of breaking those laws, and a further 36% report they are somewhat aware.
Two in three (65%) Canadians believe that impairment from cannabis and impairment from alcohol carry the same penalties, an increase from just under half (47%) in 2017. One-quarter say they do not know.
Less than half of Canadians (43%) believe that penalties are strict enough to prevent people from driving under the influence of cannabis, although this is higher among young people 16 to 24 (55%).
Detailed findings are presented in the sections that follow. Overall results are presented in the main portion of the narrative and are typically supported by graphic or tabular presentation of results. Bulleted text is also used to point out any statistically and substantively significant differences between sub-groups of respondents. If differences are not noted in the report, it can be assumed that they are either not statistically significant[1] in their variation from the overall result or that the difference was deemed to be substantively too small to be noteworthy. The programmed survey instrument can be found in Appendix A.
It should be noted that the survey asks a numbers of questions about behaviours that may have a tendency to exert social desirability pressure for respondents to underreport their use of cannabis as well as incidence of driving while impaired, for themselves and their teens/young adults[2]. The primary purpose of the survey is to provide a baseline against which future changes in awareness, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours can be subsequently measured.
Results for the proportion of respondents in the sample who either said "don’t know" or did not provide a response are not indicated in the graphic representation of the results in all cases, particularly where they are not sizable (e.g., ten% or greater). Results may also not total to 100% due to rounding.
The contract value for the POR project is $76,188.60 (including HST).
Supplier Name: Ekos Research Associates
PWGSC Contract Number: 0D160-204960/001/CY
Contract Award Date: January 7, 2020
To obtain more information on this study, please e-mail at:
ps.communications-communications.sp@canada.ca
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Ekos Research Associates Inc. that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.
Signed by:
Susan Galley (Vice President)