The Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) has released the 2024 Road Safety Monitor (RSM) on drinking and driving in Canada.

The RSM, a national opinion poll, combines insights from a random, representative sample of Canadian drivers with data from TIRF’s National Fatality Database to provide a comprehensive look at road safety trends.

The fact sheet reveals that, deaths involving a drinking driver dropped to 459 in 2021, representing a 57.5% decrease from 1,079 in 1996. Self-reported driver behaviour in 2024 indicated 5.9% of Canadian drivers admitted to driving after drinking over the legal limit in the past 30 days, up slightly from 5.8% in 2023. In addition, female drivers were 62% less likely than male drivers to report driving after drinking over the legal limit.

The percentage of drivers who drank alone before driving rose to 43.3% in 2024, an increase from 36.7% in 2023.

76.2% of Canadians identified drinking and driving as a significant public concern in 2024, with similar levels of concern reported for drivers using cellphones (71.8%) and drug-impaired drivers (72.8%). Most individuals who admitted to driving after drinking did so after consuming alcohol at home, but this behaviour declined slightly to 44.1% in 2024 compared to 46.4% in 2023.

“These findings make evident that enforcement and education strategies must evolve to address the nuances of impaired driving behaviours,” said Craig Lyon, TIRF Director, Road Safety Engineering.

“For example, campaigns targeting potential impaired drivers at bars, restaurants and other social establishments may not reach their target audience, as more Canadians report drinking at home before getting behind the wheel.”

He added “TIRF’s data underscore the status quo for tackling this issue is insufficient, and we need to innovate how we tackle impaired driving.

“We’re seeing shifts in drinking behaviours that call for evidence-based interventions, including social norming approaches, wrap around services to support treatment, and strategies for outreach to drivers who drink alone at home.”