While Most (58%) See Merit in Truck Side Guards to Protect Cyclists, Majority (60%) Balk at Cost to
Truckers in Fragile Economy

Toronto, ON - An Ipsos Reid poll conducted for Postmedia News and Global Television released today indicates that while a majority (58%) of Canadians may see merit in the idea of having large trucks install side guards in order to prevent cyclists and pedestrians from getting trapped in the space between a truck's wheels if they are hit, an equal number (60%) think the cost of requiring trucks to install side guards is too much for truck drivers at a time when the economy is fragile.

After a Toronto cyclist was recently killed by a truck at a busy intersection while they both attempted to turn right (no charges were laid by police), NDP MP Olivia Chow called for a revival of her private members bill that that would require large trucks to have side guards. Estimates on the cost of side guards range from $600 to $2,600, depending on the type of truck and guard.

Support for Guards Highest Among Women, Young, Lower Income, Quebec, Atlantic Canada...

A majority (58%--21% strongly/38% somewhat) agree that `truck drivers should be required to attach side guards to their trucks' while four in ten (42%--28% strongly/14% somewhat) agree). Support is highest among women (66% versus 50% men) and younger (18-34 68% versus 35-54 54% and 55+ 56%) Canadians. Lower income Canadians are more likely than other income groups to support truck guards (69% versus 56% for $30-$60K and 54% for $60K+). Support is highest in Quebec (70%) and Atlantic Canada (66%) followed by Saskatchewan/Manitoba (60%), Ontario (56%), British Columbia (53%) and Alberta (40%).

But Cost, Fragile Economy Put Brakes on Policy...

While a majority supports the installation of these guards, six in ten (60%--18% strongly/41% somewhat) agree that `the cost of requiring trucks to install side guards is too much for truck drivers at a time when the economy is fragile', four in ten (40%) `disagree' (13% strongly/27% somewhat). Those who are in the majority are most likely men (63% versus women 57%) and older (55+ 65%, 35-53 60%, 18-34 54%) Canadians. Those most likely to support putting the brakes on this policy because of cost and economic concerns are from Alberta (67%) and Atlantic Canada (66%) followed by Ontario (63%), British Columbia (62%), Saskatchewan (54%) and Quebec (50%).

Most Likely Compromise: More Bike Lanes, Greater Mutual Biker/Driver Respect...

While truck guards might not garner majority support, more bike lanes do: a strong majority (81%--43% strongly/38% somewhat) agree that `city roads need more bike lanes' while only two in ten (19%--7% strongly/12% somewhat) disagree.

Further, while three quarters (73%--33% strongly/40% somewhat) of Canadians agree that `cyclists are right to demand more respect and awareness from drivers of cars' contrasted by the quarter (27%) who `disagree' (8% strongly/19% somewhat), an even stronger majority (83%--40% strongly/43% somewhat) of Canadians maintain that `cyclists will never be respected until they obey the rules of the road'. Only 17% (4% strongly/13% somewhat) disagree.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between November 16-20, 2011. For this survey, a sample of 1,017 adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Sean Simpson
Associate Vice President
Ipsos Reid
416.572.4474
[email protected]

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