A profile of collisions in Canada

In Canada, there were approximately 1,670 motor vehicle collisions every day during 2001, of which about 75 percent resulted in property damage only, and 25 percent involved an injury or a death.

The human toll is great. In 2001, 7.6 people died on our roads every day, and 606 were injured, at a cost to society of approximately $26 million in current dollars each day.

Top

Single-vehicle collisions accounted for half of all fatal collisions

On average for the past 10 years, single-vehicle collisions accounted for 50 percent of all fatal collisions, 30 percent of collisions involving personal injury and 25 percent of property damage collisions.

Top

Two-thirds of fatal collisions occurred on rural roads

Most deadly collisions took place on rural roads. Approximately 69 percent of the 2,434 fatal collisions occurred on rural roads in 2001. Of all injury collisions, 41,340 or 28 percent occurred on rural roads, while the majority occurred in urban areas where the posted speed limit was 60 km/h or less.

Top

Four out of five serious collisions occurred in clear weather.

Many people blame Canada’s weather and its road conditions for traffic deaths and injuries. But, in fact, 80 percent of collisions causing death and injury occurred in clear weather, while 66 percent occurred on dry road surface.

Top

Friday was the peak day for injuries.

Three 3-hour time periods posed the highest risk for fatal crashes: 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Friday evening, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. early Saturday morning, and 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. early Sunday morning. Friday was the peak day for fatal collisions, and although the period from 9:00 p.m. to midnight was the most risky, the entire period between noon and 9:00 p.m. was not much safer. Friday was the peak day for injuries. Fewer serious crashes occurred on weekdays, with Monday the safest day by a slight edge.

Top

July and August observed the highest frequencies of fatal collisions

On average, the peak months for fatal collisions were August and July. Injury collisions were also consistent: injury collisions involving two vehicles peaked in June, July and August, while single-vehicle injury collisions often peaked in November and December.

Top

Vehicles In Collisions

As shown in the table below, the number of motor vehicles involved in crashes was just under 1.1 million in 2001. Automobiles, light trucks and minivans accounted for 89 percent of all vehicles involved in collisions.