January 27, 2006

Canadians more practical and environmentally-friendly drivers

Washington, D.C. – Canadians own fewer vehicles than Americans, drive more, and buy very responsibly, says industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers, speaking at the Transportation Research Bureau's annual conference in Washington, D.C.

"Canadians are very kind to our environment and slowly but surely moving to more fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly vehicles," DesRosiers says. "I would argue that, relative to our culture and geography, Canada is one of the most responsible vehicle-owning populations in the industrial world."

DesRosiers' speech outlined the differences between the two countries, saying, "We own about a third fewer vehicles, drive each a little more than Americans but that is because we don't have secondary vehicles to spread out our driving needs, and we buy very responsibly."

According to DesRosier's presentation, only 12 per cent of Canadians are "do it yourself" on repairs, as opposed to 28 per cent of Americans; Canadians keep their cars an average of 8.2 years, with Americans less than five; there are fewer motorsports enthusiasts in Canada; and much less accessorizing of vehicles. In the U.S., the percentage of vehicles per driving age population was 99.7 per cent in 2005, while in Canada, it was only 71.9 per cent.

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