IIHS Wants 3 Canadian Driving Laws to Increase U.S. Road Safety originally appeared on Autoblog.
The IIHS roadmap for stronger U.S. traffic safety
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has highlighted multiple Canadian driving laws that it believes would decrease U.S. traffic fatality rates. The IIHS is advocating that the U.S. mirror Canada by expanding its use of traffic enforcement cameras while increasing the stringency of laws related to distracted driving, seatbelt use, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels, and how police can request a breathalyzer test.
Speed, work zone, school zone, and red-light cameras are among the U.S.’s most common types of traffic enforcement cameras. As of 2025, 22 states permit the use of speed cameras, according to the World Population Review. However, among these states, Arkansas and Indiana don’t allow red-light cameras. There are also some states that don’t permit speed cameras, but approve red-light cameras, including California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Missouri, and North Carolina.
Regarding distracted driving in Canada, fines for the offense now start at $600, JRJ Law reports. In contrast, U.S. states like Alabama fine first-time texting and driving offenders as little as $25. While New Hampshire is the only U.S. state without an adult seat belt law, 24 states categorize the legislation under secondary enforcement, meaning police can only write a citation after pulling a driver over for a different offense. Seat belt fines in the U.S. also start at amounts as little as $30 in states like Kansas, whereas in Canada, penalties typically begin at $200. According to Business in Vancouver, a survey showed that 69% of Canadians get upset not seeing a driver wearing a seatbelt, compared to 57% in America. The IIHS is also advocating for lower BAC limits and giving police the ability to force any driver to submit a breathalyzer test, regardless of whether they’re suspected of being intoxicated, The Truth About Cars reports. While the U.S.’s most common BAC limit for drivers matches Canada’s federal regulation of 0.08%, many Canadian provinces impose administrative sanctions at 0.05% or lower, creating a layered approach.
Considerations when comparing driving in Canada to the U.S.
The IIHS studied traffic fatalities between the U.S. and Canada from 2007 to 2021 and found that U.S. fatalities began increasing after 2011, but Canada maintained a declining trend. However, there are some notable differences between the two countries. The U.S. has a population of about 347,275,807, whereas Canada's is around 40,126,723, according to Worldometer. Canadians also have a slightly shorter average commuting distance than Americans, The Truth About Cars reports.
Final thoughts
While factors like population in the U.S. versus Canada impact statistical differences between the two countries in areas such as traffic fatalities, the IIHS’ finding that Canada maintained a declining trend in driving deaths after 2011, while rates in America increased, warrants attention. One of the most apparent differences between the U.S. and Canada is the fine amounts in areas like distracted driving and seatbelt use. U.S. States increasing the minimum fine amounts for these offenses could cause drivers to think twice about breaking the law. Legislators could also likely benefit from mirroring Canada’s layered protections that leverage law, technology, and enforcement instead of patchwork regulations.
IIHS Wants 3 Canadian Driving Laws to Increase U.S. Road Safety first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 11, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Comments