Wellington County OPP has released the results of a five-year study on vehicle collisions.
The OPP is releasing the results, collected between 2013 and 2017, to identify trends and help drivers avoid problems, police say.
The figures do not account for the severity of the collisions, damage amounts, injuries or deaths, police say.
Location
About 25 per cent of collisions occur at intersections and over 50% on throughways, which police say “eliminates the myth that collisions are exclusive to intersections.”
“With 38% occurring on municipal roads, 35% on county roads and 20% on provincial highways, we see that the … collision cause rarely revolves around the management of the roadway,” police stated in a press release.
Cause
Wild and domestic animals, inattentive/distracted drivers and excessive speeds are the three leading causes of collisions, followed by failing to yield right-of-way, following too closely and losing control.
Most reportable collisions in Wellington are caused by one of these six factors, police say.
Season
November has the most collisions, with a steady decrease in the numbers through to May. June sees a small spike followed by a steady decline before the autumn rise.
“Both November and June are typically driving adjustment periods,” police say. “The inclement weather in early winter and the over confidence in early summer, make the case that a cautious driver is a safe driver.”
Day and time
Sundays see the most collisions, followed by Mondays and Fridays, while Thursdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays see the fewest numbers.
“Again we see a correlation between an increased number collisions and a transition period, going from a weekday mindset to a weekend mindset and vice versa,” police state.
Collisions most notably increase toward 5pm, with a second smaller increase occurring around 8am, corresponding with traffic volume and daylight issues.
Weather
Over 70% of reported collisions occur on clear days with very few occurring during freezing rain, drifting snow and fog.
Police explained that during extreme weather, drivers will typically drive slower and therefore crashes are less common with less damages.
Overall
From 2013 to 2017, there was a 25% reduction in reportable collisions, but police say some of that change is the result of increasing the property damage collision reporting threshold from $1,000 to $2,000 in 2015.
“The OPP would like to remind drivers that time and space are your best defence when it comes to driving,” police stated.
They recommend drivers give themselves “space to adjust and time to compensate for foreseeable and unforeseeable issues and hazards.”
Any collision that causes vehicle damages over $2,000, or damages other property beyond the vehicle(s) involved (regardless of the cost) or causes personal injury must be reported to police immediately. If unsure, it is always advisable to contact police.
