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Cycling deaths investigated by OPP up 400% since this time last year

It’s been a deadly year so far for cyclists as Ontario Provincial Police say they’ve seen a 400 per cent increase in deaths so far compared to this time in 2021. 

Sgt. Kerry Schmidt reported in a Twitter video posted Tuesday that the OPP have investigated eight cyclist deaths since January, while that number by this time last year was two.

Schmidt says he’s unsure of what’s causing the jump, but he told CBC Toronto that Ontario drivers need to be aware they share the road with cyclists.

“A bicycle has the same rights as a motor vehicle on the road,” he said, noting that, similar to motorcyclists, they are more vulnerable than someone in a car or truck when a collision occurs.

“If you’re involved in a collision, it doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong, they’re the ones that are likely going to pay the biggest price,” said Schmidt.

‘A very troubling upward trend’

Alison Stewart, senior advocacy manager for Cycle Toronto, says she’s alarmed by the number of cyclist deaths so far this year, and thinks it might prevent some people from taking up the activity.

“It’s a very troubling upward trend for cyclists during a time when more people are choosing to bike,” Stewart told CBC Toronto.

“Safety concerns for cyclists is the biggest barrier for people moving to cycling, so this is really troubling news.”

Alison Stewart, senior advocacy manager with Cycle Toronto, says the spike in cyclist deaths reported by the OPP might prevent some people from getting on a bike. (Natalie Kalata/CBC )

Stewart notes that roads are already “dangerous by design” for cyclists and pedestrians, given the width and the speed at which motorists travel. And while factors such as speed and aggressive driving are among the leading causes of fatal collisions, she says the growing size of some vehicles could also be a factor.

Last week, she says, a coalition of road safety and community groups asked the chief coroner of Ontario to look into pedestrian and cyclist deaths involving large vehicles such as SUVs. 

Another factor behind the uptick, she suggests, could be a lack of safety features on motor vehicles such as proximity sensors and better mirrors.

She would like to see a provincial strategy for Vision Zero, a safety plan to mitigate traffic injuries and deaths, as well as expanded use of automated speed enforcement cameras.

259 deaths so far on roads, waterways and trails

This year is proving to be a dangerous one, according to OPP fatality figures in other categories. Schmidt notes that provincial police have investigated 259 deaths so far in 2022 on Ontario roads, waterways and trails — 19 of which happened in the past week alone. 

Schmidt expects the total to increase by another five deaths in the next week, as ongoing investigations are entered into the OPP’s system.

And he says the most deadly factor is motorists driving too fast.

“Speeding right now is the number one killer in motor vehicle collisions across the province,” Schmidt says in the video.

Other leading causes — such as distracted, aggressive and impaired driving, as well as not wearing safety equipment such as seatbelts — have climbed in 2022.

“Every single one of those categories is up when we compare our fatal statistics last year to this year,” he said.

Motor vehicle collisions highest in 6 years: OPP

Looking at the same time period over the last six years, the OPP have investigated the most traffic fatalities so far in 2022, with 191 as of Aug. 10. While the OPP saw 166 motor-vehicle deaths within the same time frame in 2017, Schmidt told CBC News there were 187 in 2018 and 152 the following year. 

The trend went down after the pandemic struck with 136 in 2020 and 146 in 2021. He suspects the dip could be tied to less traffic duiing COVID-19. He says the number of vehicles on Ontario roads appears to be returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Limited mobility during the pandemic could also be related to an increase in marine (boating-related) deaths investigated by OPP throughout a similar period, Schmidt says. 

Last year, the OPP saw 18 marine deaths, which Schmidt says is about the same number so far in 2022. However, OPP data on boating fatalities in 2019 saw only nine, with 13 in 2018 and 14 in 2017.

“We’ve seen more people die on the water and maybe that talks about more people being in the province on the water for summer and maybe not travelling outside the province,” he said.

Schmidt says people should know their own limitations and those of the vehicles they’re operating, while recognizing potential consequences for going outside those boundaries. 

“We all see aggressive and dangerous drivers out on the road, whether they’re impaired or just weaving through traffic in a dangerous manner,” he said. 

“Those kinds of behaviours can result in tragedies.”

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