Motor Vehicle Collisions
The following table shows the number of motor vehicle collisions that occurred in Niagara in 2014. Collisions are divided into class of collision and fatalities or injuries. Also included are the number of registered vehicles in that year. These statistics are available for the years 2010 – 2014.
| Place of Collision, Persons Killed, Injured and Motor Vehicle Registrations, 2014 | |||||||
| Class of Collison | Persons | ||||||
| Place of Collision | Total Collisions | Fatal | Personal Injury | Property Damage | Fatality | Injury | Motor Vehicle Registrations |
| Fort Erie | 239 | 0 | 42 | 197 | 0 | 54 | |
| Grimsby | 204 | 2 | 38 | 164 | 2 | 44 | |
| Lincoln | 122 | 1 | 18 | 103 | 1 | 29 | |
| Niagara Falls | 1,205 | 1 | 154 | 1,050 | 1 | 197 | |
| Niagara-on-the-Lake | 218 | 0 | 36 | 182 | 0 | 56 | |
| Pelham | 80 | 1 | 9 | 70 | 1 | 10 | |
| Port Colborne | 148 | 1 | 23 | 124 | 1 | 32 | |
| St. Catharines | 1,561 | 2 | 226 | 1,333 | 2 | 294 | |
| Thorold | 217 | 1 | 25 | 191 | 1 | 37 | |
| Wainfleet | 50 | 0 | 8 | 42 | 0 | 8 | |
| Welland | 519 | 1 | 73 | 445 | 1 | 90 | |
| West Lincoln | 156 | 3 | 33 | 120 | 5 | 60 | |
| Provincial Highway | 1,320 | 2 | 221 | 1,097 | 3 | 315 | |
| Other Areas | 128 | 0 | 20 | 108 | 0 | 28 | |
| Niagara Total | 6,167 | 15 | 926 | 5,226 | 17 | 1,254 | 340,492 |
Source: Ministry of Transportation. Ontario Road Safety Annual Report 2014.
Retrieved from: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/publications/pdfs/ontario-road-safety-annual-report-2014.pdf
Fatal and Life-Threatening Collisions in Niagara Region
Niagara Regional Police Service publishes data about fatal and life-threatening collisions in Niagara on a yearly basis in their annual report.
| Fatal and Life-Threatening Collisions in Niagara | |||||
| Collision Type | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Fatal Collisions | 20 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 20 |
| MTO Reportable Deaths* | 23 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 17 |
| Non-Reportable Deaths | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Life-Threatening Injuries | 26 | 26 | 24 | 21 | 24 |
*MTO – Ministry of Transportation Ontario. MTO Reportable Deaths are deaths that were directly caused by injuries sustained in a collision. Non-Reportable Deaths are those that were caused by a medical event (e.g. heart attack, aneurysm, etc.) leading to a collision.
Source: Niagara Regional Police Service
Retrieved from: https://www.niagarapolice.ca/en/whoweare/reportspublications.asp
The above tables are also found in the Transportation and Mobility Sector, under Collision Rates in Niagara Municipalities.
Impaired Driving
The following table and graph illustrate trends in impaired driving rates in Canada, Ontario, the St. Catharines-Niagara CMA, and two other Ontario centres, for comparison. Numbers are per 100,000 population.
| Impaired Driving Violations, Per 100,000 Population | |||||
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | |
| Canada | 242.15 | 220.61 | 209.81 | 200.48 | 194.31 |
| Ontario | 128.10 | 116.70 | 110.77 | 110.82 | 105.59 |
| St. Catharines-Niagara CMA | 148.44 | 132.34 | 128.62 | 125.26 | 135.08 |
| Hamilton CMA | 110.62 | 107.71 | 109.19 | 106.06 | 93.11 |
| Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo CMA | 119.20 | 103.98 | 102.63 | 100.32 | 105.84 |
Source: Statistics Canada. Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations.
Retrieved from: http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a47
The R.I.D.E. (Reduce Impaired Drivers Everywhere) program is part of police efforts to reduce offences involving drinking and driving. To achieve this goal, Niagara Regional Police Traffic Services sets up checkpoints and stops vehicles to determine whether drivers may be impaired. Tested at the roadside, drivers who have been drinking may be issued with 12-hour license suspensions or arrested for impaired driving related offences.
| Statistics from the R.I.D.E. Program in Niagara, 2013-2016 | ||||
| (mid-March to mid-March, annually) | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Number of vehicles stopped | 8300 | 8115 | 6187 | 6511 |
| Number of boats stopped | 0 | 0 | 69 | 0 |
| Number of roadside tests conducted | 251 | 223 | 183 | 114 |
| 3-day suspensions | 47 | 49 | 35 | 20 |
| 7-day suspensions | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Impaired driving charges | 30 | 13 | 11 | 12 |
| Charges under the Liquor License Act | 10 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| Charges under the Highway Traffic Act | 164 | 90 | 134 | 107 |
| Charges for other criminal offences (including drug possession) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Source: Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) data
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving continues to grow as a problem on the roadways of Ontario. Talking on a cell phone while driving increases the likelihood of collision by four times, and texting while driving increases the risk of collision by 23 times.
Source: Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS)
Retrieved from: http://www.niagarapolice.ca/en/community/distracteddriving.asp
Tougher penalties for distracted driving were introduced by the Ontario government in the Making Ontario Roads Safer Act on September 1, 2015. These penalties include an increased fine of $490 (and up to $1,000 if the case goes to court) and three demerit points.
Source: Government of Ontario
Retrieved from: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/bill-31.shtml
https://www.ontario.ca/page/distracted-driving
On February 26, 2015 Niagara students came together for the second annual NRPS Film Festival which addressed the issue of Distracted Driving. The event was held at the Landmark Cinemas Theater in St. Catharines. The top 5 Distracted Driving films are available for viewing on the Niagara Regional Police Service website
Source: Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS)
Retrieved from: http://www.niagarapolice.ca/en/whoweare/Distracted-Driving-.asp
On June 24-25, 2016, CAA Niagara and the Niagara Regional Police Service hosted a Distracted Driving Event at the Seaway Mall to teach drivers how to stay focused on the road and bring awareness to distracted driving. Additional event partners were the Regional Niagara Road Safety Committee, the Ministry of Transportation Ontario, and AAPEX Driving School. A similar event was held on June 23, 2017. https://caaniagara.ca/news/interactive-distracted-driving-event-asks-niagara-drivers-focus-road
