REGINA, Sask. — A short commute doesn't necessarily mean a stress-free drive in Regina, where motorists point to other drivers as a major source of frustration, according to a recent survey.
The survey by SiriusXM found that more than half of Regina commuters — 57 per cent — spend under 30 minutes getting to work. Just over one-quarter, or 26 per cent, say their daily drive is stressful.
Still, sharing the road appears to be a sticking point. More than four in 10 respondents (41 per cent) point to other drivers as their biggest source of frustration, while 30 per cent say their commute has become worse over the past year.
Regina resident and motorist Greg Vogelsang said the findings reflect what he has experienced on city roads.
“There seems to be a lot more inexperienced, or, not so good drivers out there, and there’s more traffic for sure, and some people just don’t seem to do a very good job of driving,” said Vogelsang.
The increase in frustration hasn't stopped him from getting behind the wheel, although he tries to stay off the roads during the busiest times of the day.
For Betty Kwan, another Regina resident, the problem often comes down to drivers not making their intentions clear.
“People don’t signal when they turn. Suddenly they’ll just turn,” said Kwan.
Lucile Henderson shares Kwan's concerns about signalling, but says Regina's uneven roads also make getting around challenging.
“It's the road conditions – there’s a lot of potholes and cracks in the pavement,” said Henderson.
One thing many commuters do seem to agree on is the importance of having something to listen to. The survey found 70 per cent of Regina respondents say their daily drive would be less enjoyable without audio.
While Regina's shorter travel times may be a plus for commuters, the survey suggests there's still room for improvement when it comes to the overall driving experience.
