The number of traffic fatalities in Toronto dropped by 19 percent in 2011 compared to the year before, the Toronto Police Service announced last week.
TPS says there are a number of factors that could have contributed to the decline, including increased public awareness, education, enforcement, and road engineering.
Improvements in pre-hospital medical care and hospital trauma units might also have a role in the reduced fatalities.
Other possible factors include high compliance of seat-belt use, properly installed child-safety seats, police focus on impaired driving and dangerous driving, and improved driver-training practices, among other factors.
“With the continuation of traffic safety campaigns such as impaired driving, distracted driving, pedestrian safety, and seat-belt use, police hope this decline will continue,” TPS said in a statement.
TPS cautions, however, that while the decrease is encouraging, people are still being killed in traffic tragedies.
“We must continually remind ourselves that safe road use is a responsibility we all share as drivers, motorcyclists, bicycle riders, pedestrians, and passengers,” TPS said.
Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists are faced with the highest risk of fatal accidents, according to the TPS. Pedestrians account for almost half of the people killed in traffic collisions.
