The rising tide of motor vehicle fatalities in Canada

Following three decades of improvement in road safety, Canada is now seeing a resurgence of increasing road fatalities. 2022 saw the country record 1,931 vehicle-related deaths, the highest since 2013 and a 6% increase from 2021. As a result, personal injury lawyers are also seeing an increase in cases. This resurgence in fatal road traffic accidents has gained the attention of governmental policymakers and road safety campaigners. But what’s behind the recent spike in deaths, and how can they be combatted?

The national overview
Recent data paints a sobering picture of road safety across Canada. With the significant increase in fatalities between 2021 and 2022, projections suggest this trend will likely continue. Estimates indicated that fatalities could exceed 2,000 in 2023 before climbing by a further 2% in 2024 to around 2,045.

Urban vs rural figures
A deeper dive into the statistics shows the disproportionate impact of fatal accidents in rural areas. While accidents in rural areas only account for a quarter of all collisions in Canada, they’re also responsible for 54% of all fatalities. This contrast illustrates the significant challenges drivers face in rural areas and the need for focused intervention in these areas. Indeed, with 1.2% of urban collisions resulting in death and 3.9% leading to fatalities in rural areas, road safety campaigners’ focus has turned to investigating factors behind this disparity.

They include:

Higher speed limits on rural roads
Longer emergency response times in isolated areas
Potential for more hazardous road conditions in rural areas
Less dense traffic, leading to higher travelling speeds

While these factors may not fully account for the differences in fatality rates between urban and rural areas, they are coming under increased scrutiny.

Other contributory factors
Campaigners have identified several other factors that may be contributing to the significant rise in road traffic deaths.

These include:

Post-pandemic rebound: Canada saw a historic low in fatalities during the pandemic, with just 4.6 deaths per 100,000 people. With traffic and driving patterns returning to pre-pandemic levels, collisions and fatalities have increased accordingly.
Risky behaviours: Deaths from road accidents are proportionately more likely to include risky behaviours, such as speeding, poor driving, distracted driving, and people not wearing seatbelts.
Poor infrastructure: Many rural highways lack safety features on urban roads, such as divided highways, street lighting, and regular maintenance.
Larger vehicles: Some believe that the increasing popularity of larger SUVs and pickup trucks is a contributing factor to the increase in road traffic deaths.

A provincial comparison
Interestingly, the increase in road fatalities is not uniform across Canada. Some saw a significant spike in deaths from traffic accidents, while others bucked the trend, seeing a decrease.

Provinces seeing an increase in road fatalities

Manitoba saw a 22% increase in deaths between 2022 and 2023
Newfoundland and Labrador saw a 16% rise in road deaths
Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, recorded a 10% increase in 2023
British Columbia saw a modest 3% rise.

Provinces seeing a decrease in road fatalities

Quebec recorded a 6% drop in road traffic fatalities in 2023
Nova Scotia saw a 5% reduction in deaths in the same period
Saskatchewan also saw deaths fall by 5%

New Brunswick (8.2) and Manitoba (7.1) saw the highest fatality rates per 100,000 people, illustrating a pressing need to improve road safety in these areas to reduce vehicle-related deaths.

City-by-city trends
Examining the figures in some of Canada’s main cities also paints a mixed picture. Some major towns significantly reduced road traffic fatalities, while others saw increased deaths.

Cities with increasing fatality rates

Edmonton saw deaths increase by a massive 86% in 2023
Calgary recorded an increase of 26%
Both Vancouver and Montreal saw road traffic fatalities increase by 7%

Cities with decreasing fatality rates

Winnipeg achieved a massive 43% reduction in fatalities
Hamilton saw a 38% decrease in traffic deaths
Mississauga fatalities dropped by 19%
Ottawa (15%) and Toronto (10%) also recorded significant decreases in deaths
Quebec City saw deaths drop by 5%

A broader context
While the recent increase in deaths is an increasing concern, this spike comes after decades of improvements in road safety in Canada. Fatality rates have declined steadily since the 1970s thanks to improvements in vehicle safety technology, road design and safety features, and stricter road traffic enforcement. However, recent results show that new approaches may be required to combat the emerging trend of increasing vehicle-led fatalities.

These could include:

Improved driver education programs, especially in rural areas
Investment in safety features and improving rural road infrastructure
Targeted campaigns to educate people on specific risk factors, such as dangerous driving and using seatbelts
Continued investment in new technologies, such as driver assistance systems, to reduce risks on urban and rural roads.

Looking ahead
Predicted figures for 2024 suggest that vehicle-related fatalities in Canada will remain high. This illustrates the urgent need for action to address these issues. While some cities and provinces continue to make excellent progress in reducing death rates, others need significant work to bring down the concerning national trend.

As a result, all stakeholders—such as national government, provincial administration agencies, law enforcement, and community-led campaign groups—must develop the right strategies to make Canada’s roads safer for everyone. In addition, drivers have to become more responsible for their actions while behind the wheel to ensure they drive safely, reducing the likelihood of harming themselves or other road users.

Understanding the complex factors contributing to the increase in fatalities can help develop the right strategies to address regional needs. By doing this, Canada can once again look forward to reducing road traffic fatalities and the tragic loss of life on its roads.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Nova Scotia, call Preszler Injury Lawyers today.

This content has been developed and paid for by Preszler Injury Lawyers without involvement from The Coast’s editorial department.

This article appears in Mar 1-31, 2025.