Canada Road Safety Week is back. Rideshare vehicles are flooding Toronto’s streets. And new research suggests car ads may be encouraging risky driving. Welcome to the Good Roads Podcast, where we break down the most important municipal infrastructure, transportation, and road safety stories — fast, focused, and built for Ontario municipalities.
This week’s episode explores three stories shaping driver behaviour, urban congestion, and road safety culture:
Police services across the country are increasing enforcement efforts as part of Canada Road Safety Week 2026. The campaign targets the “big four” dangerous driving behaviours: impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding, and seatbelt violations. Despite decades of awareness campaigns, unbelted occupants still account for a significant share of Ontario road fatalities, showing how persistent some road safety challenges remain.
New data reveals that rideshare drivers in Toronto spend nearly half their time driving without passengers. At the same time, the number of rideshare vehicles on the road continues to surge, dramatically outnumbering taxis and contributing to congestion in the downtown core. The findings are reigniting debate over whether municipalities should cap rideshare vehicle numbers the same way taxi licenses have historically been regulated.
A new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggests modern car advertisements increasingly emphasize speed, power, and aggressive driving while downplaying safety. Researchers argue these marketing trends may help normalize risky driving behaviour at a time when road fatalities remain stubbornly high. The contrast with countries like the UK and France — where stricter advertising rules exist — raises important questions about how driving culture is shaped.