Consumer Issues
Championing the Consumer
Consumers need to be aware of programs, policies and technology affecting them on a daily basis, including but not limited to gasoline prices and taxes, implications of electronic data recorders (EDRs) and other policies, legislation and regulatory developments that affects motorists and travellers.
Gasoline Prices
Gasoline prices are one of the most talked about issues concerning motorists today. The fluctuation in pricing and complicated taxation can be frustrating to a motorist at the pump. CAA provides information that will help consumers navigate the reality of retail gasoline – how gasoline prices are broken down - as well as tips and best practices to make the most out of a tank of gas.Only 2% of federal excise taxes derived from gasoline sales are invested into road infrastructure in Canada. Compare this to the United States which invests 31%, Germany at 38%, Italy at 45%, Australia at 50%, Spain and France at 65% and in Great Britain where 100% of tax revenues are invested into road structure. CAA supports increasing the percentage of federal excise taxes invested in road infrastructure.
For more information about how gasoline prices affect you, what CAA is doing and how you can make a difference, click here.
Electronic Data Recorders
Electronic Data Recorders (EDRs) are currently being installed in most new vehicles and are similar to “black boxes” that are used on airplanes and trains. An automobile EDR is designed to capture information for the 5 second interval prior to a collision. Originally, EDRs were intended to record information solely about airbag deployment in the hopes that it would assist car manufacturers in product liability litigation. However, EDRs now record additional information such as vehicle speed, time of brake application, seat belt use and airbag deployment. In recent years, EDRs results have been presented as evidence in court cases with mixed results – drivers were often not aware of their existence or capabilities. The question becomes, who owns this information?
With the introduction of EDRs in motor vehicles, critical motor vehicle system information in the seconds preceding a crash and during a crash can now be recorded. CAA recognizes the value of EDR’s as an information tool with respect to road safety, especially in leading to improvements in the safety of our roadways and improved vehicle design. However, the usefulness of EDR data in traffic safety must be balanced with the privacy rights of the individual. As such, CAA strongly encourages that:
- Transport Canada should require motor vehicle manufacturers to equip all new vehicles with on-board crash sensing and recording devices and establish minimum standards for recorder performance and types of data to be collected.
- All motor vehicle owners must be adequately notified that EDRs have been installed in their vehicle and the type of information collected must be clearly identified.
- The collection, storage and dissemination of data from on-board recorders must be governed by protocols that restrict access to individual identifier information and protect the individual's right to privacy.
- Information collected from on-board recorders should be made available to traffic safety advocates and researchers for the sole purposes of providing accurate data to analyze motor vehicle traffic collisions to improve traffic safety.
- The general public should be made aware of event data recorders and how they can be used to make roads and vehicles safer for motorists and pedestrians.