Statistics Canada recently released its annual trend report on motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) resulting in injury and death, broken out by region and demographics. This can help personal injury lawyers better anticipate and understand the types of cases that are becoming more prevalent.
Transport Canada’s National Collision Database (NCDB) contains data on all reportable MVAs in Canada, provided each year by the provinces and territories.2021 saw a small increase in the number of fatalities, serious injuries, and in the number of total injuries, yet each count was among the lowest for all three of these casualty groups since these data were first collected, due in part to reduced traffic during the COVID pandemic.
The number of serious injuries increased to 8,185 in 2021, up 4% from 2020.The total number of all injuries increased to 108,018,also up 4% from 2020.
“Personal injury collisions” include all reported MVAs which resulted in at least one injury (but not death) within 30 days of the collision. “Serious Injuries” include persons admitted to hospital for treatment or observation.
Automobile drivers account for almost half of all serious injuries, followed by passengers, then pedestrians and motorcyclists.
We reported earlier on the rapid increase in traumatic injuries from e-bike mishaps. Note the figures for motorcyclists includes moped MVAs and, with bicyclists, will also include many e-bike accidents.
Note that passengers younger than 25 years old make up most of the seriously injured in that youngest age group.
| AGE | Serious injuries | % |
| 0 – 14 | 306 | 4% |
| 15 – 19 | 728 | 9% |
| 20 – 24 | 880 | 11% |
| 25 – 34 | 1612 | 20% |
| 35 – 34 | 1187 | 15% |
| 45 – 54 | 1129 | 14% |
| 55 – 64 | 1106 | 14% |
| 65 + | 1116 | 14% |
| N/S | 121 | 1% |
Three-quarters of personal injury MVAs occur in urban areas.
Ontario and British Columbia have fewer injuries relative to the number of licensed drivers, compared to other provinces, while Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland & Labrador show significantly higher injury rates.
All Injuries / 100K Drivers:
| Canada | 393 |
| NL | 539 |
| PE | 378 |
| NS | 391 |
| NB | 484 |
| QC | 471 |
| ON | 293 |
| MB | 786 |
| SK | 558 |
| AB | 395 |
| BC | 371 |
There is a disturbing long-term increase in the percentage of seriously injured drivers and passengers who are not wearing seatbelts. One-eighth (13%) of seriously injured drivers, and one-fifth (21%) of passengers, were not wearing seatbelts in 2021.
