Too fast up, distracted down: Research firm tracking Canadian fatal crashes

In 2019, 412 fatal crashes in Canada were attributed to speed, which was 20 per cent fewer than 2023 figures.

“What we’re seeing is the non-speed-related fatalities dropping at a faster rate than the speeding-related fatalities,” Brown said.

He noted males between 16 and 35-years-old represent the highest risk cohort.

Brown attended a Canadian Association of Road Safety Professionals conference this spring in Halifax, where presenters expanded on various causes behind speeding and aggressive driving.

Extended, routine commutes with varied traffic flows were flagged at the conference as a challenging area.

Brown said presenters stated, and research reinforces, that drivers will go faster than they normally would.

“Sometimes that lack of stability in the commuting time can lead to some behaviours out of the ordinary, like people making up for lost time.”

Brown said improved driver education, enforcement and safer roads are all key aspects in combatting speed-related crashes.

According to ICBC data, six people on Vancouver Island were killed in speed-related crashes in 2024, while the five-year average is nine fatalities.

Province-wide, 97 people died in the province in speed-contributed crashes in 2024, aligning with the five-year average, ICBC data showed.

Distracted driving

Representing all forms of distraction while behind the wheel, TIRF’s research showed 322 people died on Canadian roads in 2023 due to distracted driving, down from a whopping 458 in 2000 and 389 in 2018.

Brown said it appears the risks involved with distracted driving are starting to resonate with people, while it’s also becoming socially unacceptable.

Despite the headway, still more than one in five fatal crashes are due to drivers not paying proper attention.

“Maybe it’s taking a little bit longer to make progress in that battle, so maybe that’s what we’re starting to see, but there’s still a long way to go,” Brown said.

ICBC data showed distracted driving contributed to killing nine people on Vancouver Island in 2024, which is the same as the five-year average, while BC-wide, distracted driving was a factor in 82 deaths in 2024, slightly above the five-year average.

Enforcement by the RCMP’s BC Highway Patrol this past March on Vancouver Island saw 241 tickets issued for being distracted by electronics, down from 276 tickets in March 2025.

Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) has been in existence since 1963, and has collected traffic fatality data since 1987.

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by Ian Holmes

Too fast up, distracted down: Research firm tracking Canadian fatal crashes

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