Distracted driving deaths have hit 10-year low but transport crashes marked a four year high in 2018, according to the Ontario Provincial Police.
OPP data showed 296 fatal crashes last year on OPP-patrolled roads where 333 people lost their lives, compared to 304 fatal crashes and 343 deaths in 2017. Police said they are quick to remind drivers that while fatal crashes were slightly down, personal injury and property damage collisions were up. In total, the OPP responded to 72,060 collisions last year, compared to 68,782 in 2017.
"Road deaths in all but one of the "Big Four" categories were down last year," said the OPP in a news release issued Tuesday afternoon. "Most notably, last year marked the lowest number of inattentive-related road deaths in almost 10 years."
OPP statistics showed inattentive-related driving fatalities dropped to 55 last year, compared to 82 in 2017. Speed-related fatalities went up to 76 compared to 75 the previous year. Seat belt-related deaths stayed relatively the same with 50 in 2018 compared to 51 in 2017, and alcohol/drug-related fatalities decreased from 56 to 58.
Provincial police have also reported 7,674 collisions involving transport trucks in 2018, marking a four-year high. A total of 55 of the crashes were fatal and 1,142 of them resulted in personal injuries. In 2017, there were 7,287 transport truck collisions, 79 fatal incidents and 1,253 personal injury crashes. Transport truck drivers were reported as being at-fault in just over half of the collisions over that two-year period, with improper lane changes and following too closely being the top contributing factors.
When it comes to motorcycles, 36 people died in motorcycle collisions last year, with speed and losing control topping the list of contributing causes. By comparison, there were 48 fatalities in 2017 with improper turning and alcohol impairment as the lead factors.
Nineteen people died in off-road vehicle incidents in 2018, compared to 22 the previous year. More than half of the riders who died were not wearing a helmet and alcohol was a factor in almost half of the fatalities. Over the past ten years, police said alcohol has been a factor in 42 per cent of off-road vehicle deaths.
Several deaths happened on the water as well. The OPP added that 24 people lost their lives in boating incidents last year, down from 31 deaths in 2017. Twenty-two of the deceased were not wearing a personal floatation device (PFD). Over the past decade, police report 85 per cent of those who died in boating incidents were not wearing a PFD or life jacket. Falling overboard and capsized vessels continue to be the main causes of boating deaths.
There were 13 people killed in snowmobile incidents during the 2017/2018 season, compared to 27 in 2016/2017. Over the past ten years, 37 per cent of snowmobile fatalities have occurred on frozen waterways, and the OPP said the primary cause of the fatalities was driving too fast for the conditions.
Also in 2018, OPP officers laid a total of 381,714 traffic-related charges. There were 375,965 similar charges laid in 2017.
"While we are pleased to see positive results, our traffic data should not be viewed as mere numbers. They represent people, passengers, safe drivers, and innocent human beings of all ages whose lives were ended because of drivers who were careless and took unnecessary risks," said OPP Deputy Commissioner Brad Blair. "Safe, defensive driving is the only way to prevent more lives from being lost. Every driver owes this to the citizens of Ontario."