By Matt Lalande in 5 on the Fly, Car Accidents, Hamilton Personal Injury Lawyer on July 29, 2023
As Hamilton car accident lawyers, we try to stay on top of certain statistics – one of which is annual reported accident statistics in Ontario (and Canada) put out by various government and institutional organizations such as Transport Canada, Statistics Canada, Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics, Provincial Transportation Departments, the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) and the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF).
Driving in Hamilton or throughout Ontario carries risks like driving anywhere else. Understanding these risks is the first step towards prevention and safer roads for everyone. The top five causes of car accidents in Ontario are distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving (alcohol and drugs), reckless driving, and ignoring traffic signals.
Each of these represents a significant threat to road safety. They often lead to severe, life-changing injuries that can profoundly alter an individual’s life and severely decrease their quality of life, forcing them to redefine their life goals, careers, and overall lifestyle.
Distracted Driving is a leading cause of car accidents not only in Ontario or Canada but globally. A distraction is anything that diverts the driver’s attention from the primary tasks of navigating the vehicle and responding to critical events. To understand the magnitude and impact of distracted driving, it’s essential to grasp the basics of reaction time, particularly when driving.
Reaction time is the time between perceiving a hazard and responding to it. According to various sources, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the U.S., the average time to perceive a threat is 1.5 seconds, and the average response time is approximately 1 to 1.5 seconds.
Now, consider this in the context of distracted driving. If a driver travelling at a speed of 100 kilometres per hour (approximately 62 miles per hour) takes their eyes off the road for just 5 seconds (a typical length of time to read or send a text), they will have travelled over 138 meters (roughly 453 feet) blind. That’s approximately the length of one and a half football fields.
These numbers are significant when it comes to car accidents. According to the Traffic Injury Research Foundation in Canada, approximately 1 in 4 fatal crashes involve some form of distraction. Even more alarming, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute studies have found that text messaging increases the risk of a crash or near-crash event by 23 times compared to driving without distraction.
The impact of distractions on driving cannot be overstated. The challenge continues to grow with the rise of smartphone use, in-car entertainment systems, and other potential distractions. Drivers must understand these risks and take necessary steps to ensure their attention remains on the road. That’s why so many safety campaigns emphasize that even a moment’s distraction can lead to car accidents, many of which have tragic consequences.
Speeding is another factor significantly contributing to car accidents across Ontario. While it might save a few minutes of travel time, speeding dramatically increases the chance of an accident, endangering everyone on the road.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, young males are more likely to engage in the risky behaviour of speeding. In a 2018 survey, approximately 52% of male drivers aged 15-20 who were involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time of the accident. However, this is not to say that anyone is immune to speeding – all drivers must exercise caution and obey posted speed limits.
Drivers speed for various reasons. Some may be running late; others may feel pressured by other fast-moving traffic, and some enjoy driving fast. However, the dangers of speeding are severe. Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around bends or objects in the roadway, extends the stopping distance, and increases the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a hazard.
Below, our Hamilton car accident lawyers explore the specifics of how speeding can lead to a car accident:
Firstly, the faster a vehicle moves, the less time the driver has to react to unexpected situations. For instance, if a pedestrian steps onto the road or a car ahead suddenly brakes, a speeding driver has a smaller window to respond appropriately.
Secondly, high speed impacts the vehicle’s ability to navigate turns or bends in the road. A vehicle moving at high speed has a higher tendency to skid or roll over when making sudden turns.
Lastly, speeding significantly increases the severity of a crash. The faster a vehicle is moving, the more kinetic energy it has. When a crash occurs, this energy is released in a fraction of a second, leading to more severe injuries and damage.
Speeding is a prevalent cause of car accidents that can be easily avoided. Driving safely and according to the speed limits gives motorists more time to perceive and react to unexpected situations, reducing the likelihood and severity of accidents. Drivers of all ages and genders must recognize these risks and drive responsibly to ensure the safety of all road users.
Despite considerable declines over the past 25 to 30 years, impaired driving, whether by alcohol or drugs, continues to kill or injure more Canadians than any other crime (Moreau, 2021). Public Safety Canada reported data for 2020, which indicated that in all of Canada, there were slightly more than 77,600 impaired driving incidents, a decrease of over 8,200 incidents from 2019 (Statistics Canada, 2021).
Impaired driving, involving both alcohol and drugs, continues to be a significant issue in Ontario and a leading cause of fatal road crashes. Although public awareness campaigns have made strides in reducing drunk driving rates, the legalization of recreational cannabis in 2018 has introduced a new dimension to the problem.
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, nearly 7% of Ontario drivers reported driving after cannabis use in 2019. This is alarming, given that cannabis can impair critical driving skills such as reaction time, decision-making ability, and motor coordination.
Alcohol-impaired driving also remains a serious concern. A 2019 study from Statistics Canada showed that police reported over 12,000 impaired driving incidents in Ontario alone.
Impaired driving poses a substantial risk to the driver and everyone else on the road. Alcohol and drugs affect the central nervous system, impairing abilities necessary for safe driving. These substances can slow reaction time, reduce motor coordination, blur vision, and impair the judgment of distance.
When a driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they’re more likely to underestimate their level of impairment and overestimate their driving skills. This easily leads to risky behaviours such as speeding, not wearing seat belts, or making illegal maneuvers. Additionally, alcohol and certain drugs can induce drowsiness, making it dangerous if the driver is on a long journey.
An increase in drug-impaired driving, particularly cannabis-related, is concerning for road safety. Studies have found that driving under the influence of cannabis can double the risk of a car accident. When combined with alcohol, the risk of an accident increases further.
In conclusion, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs remains a significant cause of car accidents in Ontario. Despite public campaigns and legal penalties, many individuals still choose to drive while impaired, posing a substantial risk to all road users. The key to reversing this trend lies in continued education, law enforcement, and adopting safe, responsible behaviours behind the wheel.
A lack of caution and respect for the rules of the road, otherwise known as reckless driving, plays a significant role in the incidence of car accidents in Hamilton – and throughout Ontario. The term ‘reckless driving’ encapsulates a range of behaviours that either intentionally or carelessly compromise the safety of oneself and others on the road.
Reckless driving can manifest in various ways, including but not limited to speeding excessively, driving too close to the vehicle in front (tailgating), not adhering to traffic signs and signals, and passing other cars illegally. Other reckless conduct might involve street racing, performing risky stunts, or displaying aggressive behaviour like road rage.
The peril of reckless driving and its contribution to accidents largely stem from the high-risk actions associated with it. For example, a driver travelling at an excessively high speed has significantly less time to react to sudden occurrences like a pedestrian crossing the road or another vehicle stopping abruptly – especially if that driver is young and inexperienced. Likewise, neglecting to signal intentions can lead to accidents because it doesn’t allow other drivers to know or predict their actions.
The probability of a crash is substantially increased when drivers choose to drive aggressively—and in the end, no one wins. Such behaviour not only puts the reckless driver in danger but also jeopardizes the safety of all other road users, including motorists, motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians.
As our Hamilton car accident lawyers have determined, motorists disobeying traffic signals is the fifth most common cause of car accidents in Ontario.
Disobeying traffic signals is one of Ontario’s leading causes of car accidents, underlining the importance of adherence to road rules for safe driving. Traffic signals, including lights at intersections and stop signs, are crucial in controlling vehicle flow and ensuring safety at intersections.
A driver might disobey a traffic signal by running a red light, not fully stopping at a stop sign, or ignoring a yellow light, which can cause a severe accident. For instance, at intersections controlled by traffic lights, some drivers might speed up to “beat” a yellow light, potentially leading to collisions with vehicles moving from other directions when their light turns green. Similarly, drivers who do not come to a complete stop at a stop sign could collide with a vehicle, cyclist, or pedestrian having the right of way at the intersection.
Disobeying traffic signals can lead to extremely devastating accidents, primarily because they often result in collisions at higher speeds and angles that vehicles are less equipped to handle. One of the most common collisions is the “T-bone” collision, where the front of one vehicle collides with the side of another.
These accidents often occur at high speeds and can result in severe injuries or even fatalities. The side of a vehicle offers less protection to occupants than the front or rear, making side-impact collisions particularly dangerous. Head-on crashes are equally as devastating – and, unfortunately, often result in fatalities.
Such crashes can lead to significant injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and amputations. These injuries can have long-lasting impacts, potentially leading to permanent disability or even death.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious car accident, we can help. Hamilton car accident lawyer Matt Lalande has been representing car accident victims since 2003 and has recovered millions in compensation for seriously injured people and their families through verdicts and settlements.
Call us today, no matter where you are in Ontario at 1-844-LALANDE or local in Hamilton and throughout Southern Ontario at 905-333-8888. Alternatively, you can email us confidentially through our website or chat 24/7 with our live chat operator.
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