Automobile accidents occur every day in Ontario. And if you are injured due to someone else's actions, you need to see a personal injury lawyer.
But what are the most dangerous places in Ontario for drivers? A study provides some answers. Drawing on data from more than 100,000 insurance quotes in the past three years, including almost 2,300 accidents and over 5,000 tickets, the insurance comparison site MyChoice has painted a picture of the safest and most dangerous places to drive in Ontario.
"The city of Brantford came out as the worst of the bunch, with a dismal score of 0.7 out of five, making it by far the most dangerous Ontario city for drivers," states an article on the BlogTO website.
"The study found a shocking 18.8 percent of Brantford drivers had infractions on record, while 15.5 percent had accidents on record - both the highest numbers of any city included," the article states.
The town of Ajax came in at second worst with 13.05 percent of drivers with infractions and 14.69 percent with accidents on record.
'Targeted Improvements' Are Needed.
"This study sheds light on the disparities in driving conditions across Ontario and emphasizes the need for targeted improvements in road safety," stated Aren Mirzaian, CEO of MyChoice.
Surprisingly, the old city of Toronto (pre-amalgamation) was ranked the safest city to drive in, followed by Richmond Hill, North York and East York. Of course, the latter two are not incorporated municipalities anymore, but MyChoice decided to break Toronto down in that manner.
The remaining top safest municipalities in Ontario in order were: Whitby, Bradford, Etobicoke, Maple, Nepean and Thornhill.
Returning to the 10 most dangerous places to drive, the remaining eight in order are: Kingston, Bolton, Burlington, St. Catharines, Barrie, Windsor, Hamilton and Kitchener.
For drivers in any of those municipalities who may suffer injuries due to the poor driving habits of others, the good news is that Gluckstein Lawyers has offices stretching across the province. That includes Toronto, Ottawa, St. Catharines, Barrie, Collingwood, Midland, Orillia, Sudbury, Kingston, Oshawa, Waterloo, Guelph, Fort Erie, Peterborough, Niagara Falls and Hamilton. Click here (scroll to the bottom of the page) for contact information for any of these offices.
"Our trusted team of lawyers has extensive experience at trial and around the negotiating table," says Managing Partner Charles Gluckstein. "Our support staff includes people who have their own personal experiences with life-changing personal injuries and former medical personnel who have a detailed understanding of the workings of the healthcare systems."
Brampton Fared Better Than Expected.
The BlogTO article notes that "Brampton's particularly sour reputation for dangerous driving and road rage might be undeserved. Brampton trended towards the median when it came to drivers with infractions (10.07 percent) and accidents (12.12 percent)."
Looking at the province as a whole, the OPP said 2023 was the first year since 2007 when there were more than 400 deaths related to crashes investigated by the service.
"Aggressive driving, impaired driving, distracted driving and not wearing your proper safety equipment - it's so critically important that we understand the rules of the road and we share the road safely, responsibly and understand the consequences for making a bad decision can be deadly, " stated an OPP spokesman in a news report.
He blamed multiple factors, such as speeding and impaired driving and lack of seatbelt use, for many of those 411 fatalities.
He added that injuries can be lifelong and are "heartbreaking and life-changing," not only for the crash victims themselves but also their families, who are left to help those injured in their recovery.
Distracted Driving a Problem.
The news report also quotes the president and CEO of the Ontario Safety League, who blames distracted driving for many of the accidents on our roadways.
"What we're really seeing is bad driving habits, particularly distracted drivers who are putting everybody at risk while they're exceeding the speed limit, trying to change the channel and have a Zoom call with their staff while driving," he stated.
"When you're in the vehicle, your primary responsibility is to drive and drive safely," he says, adding, "we've turned the interior of a car into an entertainment centre."
According to Ontario's Infrastructure Health and Safety Association, motor vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of workers' injuries and fatalities.
"On an average day in Ontario, motor vehicle collisions will kill more than two people and injure more than 180 others, making motor vehicle incidents the biggest risk Ontarians face each day they go to work."
The Association notes that the four major factors leading to motor vehicle fatalities are:
- drinking and driving: 27 percent
- large truck crashes: 22 percent
- driver speed: 21 percent
- unbelted occupants: 20 percent
The top three driver conditions and actions that contribute to fatal collisions are impairment as a result of alcohol or drugs, being inattentive (e.g., from fatigue or distractions) and aggressive behaviour, such as driving too fast," the association adds.
Contact Us for Assistance.
If you or someone you love has been injured in an auto accident in Barrie, Niagara, Toronto or anywhere across Ontario, you may receive accident benefits from an insurance company that are capped at a certain amount. Since they likely will not fully compensate you for your injuries, it is a good idea to speak to a personal injury lawyer about whether you should launch a civil lawsuit against the person who caused or contributed to your injuries.
While no amount of money can bring back all that you may have lost, awards for damages are designed to acknowledge your pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life and pecuniary (calculable) losses, including loss of income, health care expenses, housekeeping and home maintenance expenses.
To help you succeed with this claim, our personal injury team members will help you draw together the evidence that proves you have been left with serious and/or long-term injuries.
You must show evidence, including medical records, showing that you have sustained a serious, life-altering injury. And keep in mind that you only have two years to initiate a lawsuit.
And for your own sake, do not accept the lowball offer that an insurer will offer early in your claim. Our team of motor vehicle accident lawyers have the expertise to assess whether you have a case and what a fair settlement should look like.
Contact us for a free consultation. The initial meeting is free and without obligation on your part and we never charge legal fees until your claim is settled.