Don't bring your Benz to Ontario

[300sdToronto]

Based on the following release from the Auditor of the Province of Ontario, I'd warn you not to bring your cherished Benz onto our roads. Too much chance of an accident!!

Quote follows

On the roads, McCarter discovered new drivers were more likely to be involved in collisions if they take the province's beginning driver education course than if they do not.

While 55 per cent of novice drivers took the program, they crashed their cars at a far higher rate than the 45 per cent who don't bother – 6.83 per cent compared to 4.21 per cent. That means those with driver education have a 62 per cent higher crash rate than those who do not.

"It is counter-intuitive. ... It didn't make sense," said McCarter.

Equally troubling is that, as of last December, driving instructors were far more likely than other motorists to have demerit points for speeding, disobeying traffic lights, and failing to use seatbelts.

In fact, 360 of Ontario's 5,500 instructors – 6.5 per cent – have been slapped with demerit points compared with 1.4 per cent of the general motoring public.