According to a new report released by Insurance Company AllState Canada looking at communities across the country drivers in Halifax have the highest collision rate in the country. In other words, we have more accidents per capita than any of the communities across the country that were studied.
The AllState Canada safe driving study ranked Spruce Grove Alberta as the safest place to drive in Canada with a collision rate of 3.43% per 100 cars. Halifax ranked dead last in the study with a collision rate of 7.12% per 100 cars.
The representative from AllState insurance, Deanna Lumax speculated that the increase in collisions in Halifax may have been due to the terrible driving conditions we had as a result of our brutal winter last year as well as the increasing use of cell phones and distracted driving.
Distracted driving increasing
As a car accident lawyer in Halifax I have no doubt that the use of cell phones is “driving” the increase in car accidents in Halifax. RCMP statistics show that distracted driving is now the number one cause of death on Nova Scotian highways overtaking impaired driving and speeding.
That’s one of the reasons why I have been volunteering with endDD.org a not for profit organization that speaks to students in schools about the dangers of distracted driving. As we roll into the winter season we all have to be aware of how the weather and cognitive distractions like cell phones can impact on driving safety.
The most dangerous day of the year
According to data collected by AllState Canada over the last ten years, December 23 is the day a car accident is most likely to happen. Perhaps that is because of all the husbands who are running around at the last minute to buy Christmas gifts?
So what are we going to do about it Halifax?
Can we all agree to put away the cell phones, slow down and pay more attention to our diving this winter? Let’s see if we can replace Spruce Grove Alberta as Canada’s safest place to drive.