Crash deaths up 22% this year as police urge caution on Ontario roads

Over 100 people have died already this year on Ontario roads as the numbers of fatal collisions are tracking significantly higher than average, police say.

The OPP Highway Safety Division says the number of fatal crashes is up 22 per cent so far in 2026 compared to last year, with 133 people dying in crashes investigated by provincial police.

That number doesn’t include fatal crashes investigated by other police agencies like Peel Regional Police, the Halton Regional Police Service and Durham Regional Police.

The number of crash deaths is also up when compared to the last half-decade, police say, with 89 fatal collisions between January and the end of April – up from the five-year average of 74.

And with summer weather hitting the Greater Toronto Area, police are urging drivers to take precautions when out on the roads.

“We get high-speed collisions, much more serious injury collisions, when the conditions are like what we’re seeing right now – dry roads, sunny skies, daylight conditions,” OPP Highway Safety Division Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said in a video release.

He urged drivers to ” keep your eyes up, hands on the wheel,” and “focus on the task of driving.”

Police also warn vulnerable road users like motorcyclists, bicycle riders and pedestrians to be cautious.

“Make eye contact with other vehicles before you step across the road, step off the curb or make a lane change if you’re driving a motorcycle,” Schmidt said.

“Please, let’s all do our part, share the road and get to your destinations safely every single time.”