Fatal collisions are on the rise in Canada, and it may have an impact on your auto insurance premiums. More severe claims raise insurance payouts from insurers, which puts more pressure on the system.
How Fatal Collisions Are Trending Across Canada
We looked into the Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics reports for 2019 and 2023, and found that collision-related fatality rates increased in most provinces over the four years. In six provinces, there were increases in fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers in 2023 than in 2019. New Brunswick experienced the worst increase, up 3.8 fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers.
Transport Canada’s statistics show an increase in collisions with fatalities across Canada from 2019 to 2023, rising from 1,620 in 2019 to 1,768 in 2023, an increase of 9.14%. At the same time, the share of driver fatalities involving seat belt non-use rose 7.0 percentage points, from 25.6% in 2019 to 32.6% in 2023.
The percentage of passenger fatalities involving seat belt non-use also rose, increasing by 2.2 percentage points from 29.8% in 2019 to 32.0% in 2023.
While many factors can cause collisions, seat belt use can prevent injuries from becoming fatal.
| Province | Fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers—2019 | Fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers—2023 | Change in rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada overall | 6.6 | 6.9 | 4.54% |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 10.3 | 10.6 | 2.91% |
| Prince Edward Island | 13.3 | 10.8 | -18.80% |
| Nova Scotia | 10.1 | 6.9 | -31.68% |
| New Brunswick | 9.0 | 12.8 | 42.22% |
| Quebec | 5.8 | 6.4 | 10.34% |
| Ontario | 5.4 | 5.3 | -1.85% |
| Manitoba | 8.1 | 8.1 | 0.00% |
| Saskatchewan | 8.9 | 11.0 | 23.60% |
| Alberta | 7.4 | 8.4 | 13.51% |
| British Columbia | 7.5 | 7.9 | 5.33% |
Source: Transport Canada, 2019–2023.
| 2019 | 2023 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver fatalities involving seat belt non-use | 25.6% | 32.6% | +7.0 percentage points |
| Passenger fatalities involving seat belt non-use | 29.8% | 32.0% | +2.2 percentage points |
Provinces With the Highest Number of Seat Belt-Related Tickets
Using our own data from more than 200,000 quotes collected in five provinces from 2020 to 2025, our team at MyChoice found that Newfoundland and Labrador had the most drivers with a seat belt-related infraction on their driving record, at 76.7 per 10,000 drivers. It was followed by New Brunswick at 46.4, Nova Scotia at 26.9, Alberta at 8.3 and Ontario at 1.1.
| Province | Drivers with seat belt-related infractions on record per 10,000 drivers |
|---|---|
| Alberta | 8.3 |
| New Brunswick | 46.4 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 76.7 |
| Nova Scotia | 26.9 |
| Ontario | 1.1 |