Canberra may be the home of rule-making but its drivers have been found to be the biggest rule-breakers in Australia, with almost one in five thinking it's OK to drive over the speed limit, according to a new survey.
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They survey also found 18 per cent of Canberrans admitted there were some road rules they didn't know.
National Road Safety Week is this week and Ford Australia has found many drivers are playing chicken with the rules on increasingly busy roads.
A survey of 1000 Australians commissioned by Ford found one-fifth of Aussies agree there are significantly more drivers, pedestrians and cyclists on the road.
More than half (56 per cent) say they have noticed other driver's erratic behaviours since COVID-19 hit.
One respondent commented: "Driving habits have become more erratic - like they've forgotten how to drive after being at home".
The survey also found that the ACT had the highest number of road rule breakers; instead of rule makers. Its key findings included:
- 18.8 per cent of Canberrans admit there are some road rules they don't know
- ACT is home to the highest rule breakers, 18.8 per think driving 5km over the limit is OK
- Nationally, 45.5 per cent of Aussies admit they have driven over the speed limit
- 67 per cent of Aussies agree if other drivers were courteous, they would feel better on the road
Ford Australia's driver education leader James Stewart from Driving Solutions said, "No matter how long you've had your driver's licence, road safety is always important and new driving skills can always be learnt".
"We're seeing more cars on the road as people reacquaint themselves with returning to the office and, perhaps, prefer private over public transport, " Mr Stewart said.
"During this transition, our driving habits must adapt to suit the increased traffic and consider differing levels of confidence behind the wheel."
And we're forgetting our manners.
Nearly one quarter of drivers (23 per cent) admit to only giving a wave or showing other driving courtesies if the other person shows them first.
Tasmanians were found to be the safest on the roads.
Not surprisingly after their strict lockdowns, Victorians have suffered the biggest impact to their driving confidence - 18.7 per cent of respondents admitted they felt nervous on the road due to the behaviour of others.