EDMONTON – A new report by the City of Edmonton shows the number of fatal and injury collisions dropped for the seventh year in a row in 2013, but that hasn’t eliminated concern among officials.
Traffic fatalities in Edmonton decreased from 27 in 2012 to 23 in 2013.
In fact, the number of injury collisions in Edmonton is at a 20-year low. However, the city’s Office of Traffic Safety officials are still worried about the number of deaths.
“Twenty-three families who were expecting their mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters to return home instead experienced the tragic news of their loss,” said Stevanus Tjandra, a senior traffic safety analytical coordinator.
“This is a sobering realization especially when the vast majority of these collisions are highly preventable.”
In 2013, the fatalities included: 11 drivers, three passengers, six pedestrians, two motorcyclists, and one cyclist.
Collisions at intersections made up 55 per cent of the total number of crashes, resulting in 69 per cent of total injuries and 11 of the 23 fatalities last year.
The top three high-collision intersections in 2013 were:
- Yellowhead Tr. and 149 St. (83 collisions, 16 injuries)
- 107 Ave. and 142 St. (81 collisions, 14 injuries)
- 23 Ave. and 91 St. (64 collisions, 14 injuries)
According to the report, tailgating was the most common cause of collisions.
“The behaviour of Edmonton road users has to change,” said Tjandra.
“Everyone including drivers, cyclists and pedestrians needs to commit to a culture of traffic safety. It’s up to all of us to accept and share personal responsibility for what happens on our roads.”
The City of Edmonton says the information collected from the report will help to make decisions about new traffic safety measures and enforcement.
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