ORSAR 2002 - Overview

1. Overview

The first part of this section (synopsis) provides a brief overview of road safety in the province. The second part presents selected characteristics of motor vehicle collisions from a health perspective.

The primary measure of road user safety in Ontario is the number of fatalities per 10,000 licensed drivers. This is a commonly used measure of road user safety in North America and elsewhere. It allows Ontario to compare its performance against that of other jurisdictions. In Ontario in 2002, there were 1.04 fatalities per 10,000 licensed drivers, a slight increase from 1.02 in 2001. The 2002 fatality rate is the second lowest since 1931. Based on this measure, Ontario’s roads were the safest in Canada and second only to Massachusetts in North America in 2002.

Figure 1: Total Number of Collisions in Ontario - 1989 to 2002

Data in table format

1a. Synopsis

Selected Statistics

Total Reportable Collisions	244,642
Total Drivers Involved in Collisions	435,339
Total Vehicles Involved in Collisions	452,223
Fatal Collisions	770
Personal Injury Collisions	56,516
Property Damage Collisions	187,356
Persons Killed	873
Drivers Killed (excludes All Terrain Vehicle and Snow Vehicle Drivers)	505
Drivers Killed (Impaired or Had Been Drinking)	124
Passengers Killed	230
Pedestrians Killed	131
Other Road Users Killed	7
Persons Injured	84,192
Estimated Ontario Population (2002)	12,027,900
Licensed Drivers	8,413,504
Registered Motor Vehicles	7,415,497
Estimated Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (in millions)	123,683
Number of Persons Killed in Motor Vehicle Collisions per 100,000 People in Ontario	7.3
Number of Persons Killed in Motor Vehicle Collisions per 100 Million Kilometres Travelled	0.71
Collision Rate per 100 Million Kilometres Travelled	197.8
Fatal Collision Rate per 100 Million Kilometres Travelled	0.6
Number of Persons Killed in Motor Vehicle Collisions per 10,000 Licensed Drivers	1.04

1b. Selected Characteristics of Motor Vehicle Collisions

Figure 1b: Per Cent of Hospital Admission by Injury Type, 2002

1c. Health Perspective

Table 1.1

Selected Diagnoses of Motor Vehicle Collision
Injuries Hospitalized in Ontario, 2002

Selected Diagnoses	Hospital Admissions	Hospital Days of Stay
Fracture of skull	420	5,199
Fracture of neck and trunk	1,199	12,138
Fracture of upper limb	638	3,491
Fracture of lower limb	1,401	12,387
Dislocation, sprains and strains	205	845
Intracranial injury, excluding those with skull fracture	850	6,386
Internal injury of chest, abdomen and pelvis	595	5,277
Open wound of head, neck and trunk	157	429
Open wound of upper limb	39	130
Open wound of lower limb	50	351
Other injuries, burns and traumatic complications	2,036	38,420
Total Admissions and Days	7,590	85,053

Source: Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Integrated Policy and Planning Division

Table 1.2

Selected Surgical Procedures for Motor Vehicle
Collision Injuries Hospitalized in Ontario, 2002

Selected Procedure	Hospital Admissions	Hospital Days of Stay
Operations on skull, brain and cerebral meninges	128	2,759
Operations on spinal cord and canal structures	49	817
Operations on nose, mouth and pharynx	21	87
Operations on chest wall, pleura, mediastinum and diaphragm	117	1,391
Operations on bone marrow and spleen	70	1,041
Operations on kidney	4	59
Operation on facial bones and joints	119	966
Reduction of fracture and dislocation	1,775	16,032
Repair and plastic operations on joint structures	139	2,669
Operations on skin and subcutaneous tissue	236	2,036
Other surgical procedure	3,514	41,301
Sub-total of surgical admission and days	6,172	69,158
No surgical procedures reported	1,418	15,895
Total Admissions and Days	7,590	85,053

Source: Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Integrated Policy and Planning Division