Drivers sound off as Windsor makes worst-in-the-province driving rankings

It's a constant every winter: the first snowfall of the season comes, and drivers curse their fellow motorists who haven't adjusted to the new weather.

And they're not imaging the number of less-than-perfect drivers: According to MyChoice, an insurance comparison site, Windsor has some of the worst drivers in the province.

"I feel like it's important, especially now that we're going into the winter season to make sure that we're aware of these danger zones and that everybody is being more safe when they're on the road," said Vitalii Starov, vice-president of growth at My Choice.

Pedestrians during a snow storm pictured in a January 2023 file photo. (Mike Evans/CBC)

The company looked at the number of drivers with a crash or infraction on their record and found the city ranked among the highest in the province.

According to MyChoice, 12.6 per cent of Windsor residents have a crash on their record, and more than 10 per cent have infractions.

The company assigned the city a score based on weighing those factors, making Windsor the eighth "most dangerous" to drive in overall.

The findings were based on more than 100,000 insurance quotes going back to 2020, looking specifically at cities that had at least 1,000 quotes in their system.

"I guess the idea of the study for us was to really shed the light into the fact that some of the most dangerous cities are not necessarily like the biggest ones," he said, noting that Toronto ranked the safest city for drivers.

That could be, Vitali speculated, because there are many more drivers and cars in heavy traffic move slower.

Windsor received its first snowfall of the year Sunday and Monday, and Vitali said that can make the roads more dangerous.

"Again, have to pay attention and make sure you're always aware of how to drive safely."

Windsor drivers, pedestrians sound off 

All of this isn't news to Windsor drivers and pedestrians who spoke with CBC News on Monday.

"There's been times that I've been walking across the street, impatient drivers not willing to wait for us to fit us pedestrians to finish crossing," said Adam Smith. "In three years I've probably been almost hit just from crossing in my right maybe about 50, 60 times.

"As the weather is getting worse, unfortunately so is the dangerous driving."

Smith speaks from personal experience: He stopped driving nearly 10 years ago after hitting a treacherous patch of black ice that could have cost him his life.

He urges drivers ahead of the holidays to always have a designated driver, be prepared to take a cab, bus or rideshare if they need.

But driver Michael Almeida says with little exception, he doesn't feel it's any worse than elsewhere.

"We see a lot of people going through red lights at the end of light changes here. Other than that, I wouldn't say there's a big difference between other places I've driven in the province," he said, noting he's planning on getting his snow tires installed this week.

"You always see that people aren't ready for the snow and they're not reacting to the conditions, they're not slowing down, driving a little bit safer. So that's kind of to be expected."

City offers tips for driving behind plows

With snow in the forecast, the City of Windsor is reminding drivers to be careful on the roads.

City plows will go out once snow accumulates to five centimetres with an average route taking between three and six hours to plow once snow has stopped falling, depending on the time of day and traffic conditions.

"Motorists are asked to be patient when travelling behind a plow and give operators plenty of room. Plows typically operate at 40 kilometres per hour," the city says. "Following too close to a snowplow can lead to poor visibility, and vehicles risk being hit by thrown snow or debris."

Residents are also reminded they need to clear their residential sidewalks within 12 hours. The city's Snow Angels program, which shovels driveways for people who are not able, is also looking for volunteers.