Police are reporting a spike in collisions causing death and other serious injuries and are warning the public to slow down and look out.
According to Waterloo Regional Police Service communication officer Melissa Quarrie police are looking to highlight this increase to help drivers be more cautious on the road.
"It’s concerning to us that we have had more fatal collisions and major injury collisions so far in 2024 compared to the totals we saw in 2023," said Quarrie in an email to CambridgeToday.
In 2023, 60 per cent of all fatal injury collisions were linked to a 'fatal four' problems: impaired driving, distracted driving, seatbelt violations, and/or speed.
As of Sept. 30, 2024, there have been 12 fatal accidents and 96 major injury collisions with that number having risen in the past three weeks.
In 2023, there were a total of 10 fatal and 93 serious injury collisions. While 2020 holds the record for the most deadly collisions with 19, 2024 has seen a sharp return to these high levels.
According to the region, Cambridge has the most dangerous roads in the region with collisions happening most frequently at Heslsper Road and Franklin Boulevard intersections or roundabouts.
The most recent data provided by the region shows the five-year totals from 2017-2021 with Franklin and Pinebush topping the list at 36 collisions causing injury. The road also had the most collisions in the region with 112.
Hespeler Road was another major road that landed multiple times in the top 10 with 105 accidents in total.
Scott Cressman, communications specialist for the region said in an email to CambridgeToday that the region undertakes a comprehensive quality control/screening process for each collision report that is received from the Ministry of Transportation.
"This process is time-consuming, and that’s why we don’t yet have data for 2022 or later," he said.
Police are still noticing the upward trend in serious injuries and deaths and continue to implement their 2024 Road Safety Plan with their Traffic Services Unit.
The plan aims to increase fatal four enforcement levels by 15 per cent as part of ongoing efforts to improve road safety in Waterloo region.
"Enforcement is only a part of the puzzle when it comes to improving road safety," said Quarrie. "Our Traffic Services Unit continues to work with community partners in various aspects of road safety, including roadway education, product development, and public education."
Police note that drivers have an important role to play in ensuring safety on the roads throughout the region.
"Drive the speed limit, drive sober, put down the phone, and buckle up; taking these simple steps can have a huge impact on road safety," added Quarrie.
