Ten-year study of collisions reveals the 15 most accident-prone cities.
Accidents happen but in some cities they seem to happen with greater frequency if Allstate Canada’s 10-year study of their policyholder’s collision claims is any indication. And for drivers in Ontario the news is not good. Of the 15 cities that topped the list, 13 are in Ontario and most are in the GTA, perhaps highlighting why auto insurance rates in the region are as high as they are.
Taking top spot in the study is North York, Scarborough and Brampton where each city clocked an average collision frequency rate of 7.1 per cent.
The cities with the highest collision frequency rates
The Allstate study looked at the company’s collisions claims in Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Spanning a 10-year period beginning July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2018, the frequency rate refers to the percentage of vehicles insured by the company involved in a collision that resulted in a claim.
City/Town
Collision Claims Frequency Rate
North York, Ontario 7.1% Scarborough, Ontario 7.1% Brampton, Ontario 7.1% Gloucester, Ontario 7.0% Maple, Ontario 7.0% Ajax, Ontario 6.9% Halifax, Nova Scotia 6.9% Thornhill, Ontario 6.8% Milton, Ontario 6.7% Ottawa, Ontario 6.6% Pickering, Ontario 6.6% Toronto, Ontario 6.6% Richmond Hill, Ontario 6.6% Whitby, Ontario 6.6% Edmonton, Alberta 6.5%
In comparison, Hanmer, Ontario is recognized as having the lowest collision frequency rate of 3.8 per cent. Also low on the collision frequency list are:
- Brockville, Ontario (3.9 per cent)
- Lethbridge, Alberta (4.3 per cent)
- Sarnia, Ontario (4.4 per cent)
- Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario (4.4 per cent)
- Kingston, Ontario (4.6 per cent)
- Peterborough, Ontario (4.6 per cent)
- Thunder Bay, Ontario (4.8 per cent)
- St. Catharines, Ontario (4.9 per cent)
"Sharing this data over the years gives us the opportunity to ignite conversation about the importance of safe driving," said David MacInnis, PhD, Vice President, Product Operations at Allstate Insurance Company of Canada in a press release.
To this end, the study also highlights the most common causes of collision-related claims. Rear-ending collisions account for 26 per cent of claims, while turning and intersection collisions account for 21 per cent. Hitting a parked car (or being hit while parked) made up 19 per cent of all claims.
Auto collisions and your car insurance
Stay safe and drive carefully to keep your car insurance premiums in check because a collision where you are found to be at fault (even if only partially) can be a costly hit to your wallet. You can minimize the damage, however, at InsuranceHotline.com where it takes just a few short minutes to compare quotes from our network of over 30 insurance providers. Make sure you’re not missing out on lower auto insurance premiums and shop your rate today.
