Ontario police warn car crashes taking 'heavy toll on human life'

Six months into 2023 and the Ontario Provincial Police say there’s already been 136 fatal collisions on roads across the province that have left 150 people dead.

“If the latest traffic data is any indication of what lies ahead for the motoring public, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is cautioning that drivers have set the stage for another notably tragic year on roads,” a news release issued Friday reads.

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The force said the first part of this month revealed a “particularly concerning trend” after officers responded to 15 fatal collisions from June 1 to the 11 which left 18 people dead. Over the same 11-day period in 2022, only four fatal collisions were reported with as many deaths.

This time last year there were actually fewer fatal crashes on the road at 103 in which 125 people were killed. However, that year ended with 359 fatalities on roads patrolled by the OPP -- the highest number in 16 years.

“Drivers are reminded that even one careless action behind the wheel is all it takes to cause a split-second, serious collision that ends a life and robs a family of a loved one under the worst and most unexpected circumstances,” the OPP said in the news release titled ‘Driver behaviors taking heavy toll on human life again this year.’

Speeding, careless driving, driver inattention, driver fatigue, alcohol/drug consumption and lack of seatbelt use are among the dangerous driving behaviors the OPP says are behind the staggering numbers the last two years.

Officials are reminding motorists to always obey traffic laws and “never take risks of any kind” when on the road.

“The OPP wants to see every road user get home to their loved ones safely,” the service said.