THUNDER BAY -- Ontario Provincial Police say 2017 was the worst year in four years for fatal traffic collisions on northwestern Ontario highways.
Data compiled by Ontario Provincial Police shows that 27 people lost their lives on the road last year, more than twice as many as died from traffic accidents that were investigated by the OPP in 2016.
Tbnewswatch also obtained a breakdown of the causes of the fatal collisions.
In six incidents, investigators blamed driver inattentiveness.
Another six were attributed to people not wearing seatbelts.
Other factors included alcohol or drug use, and speeding.
Within the jurisdiction of the Northwest Region of the OPP, 13 fatalities occurred in collisions involving transport trucks, compared with only three such fatalities the previous year.
Seven individuals died in recreational vehicle or boating accidents (snowmobiles, watercraft and off-road vehicles) in 2017, compared with five deaths in 2016.
OPP Northwest Region Traffic Fatalities and Some of the Causes *
| 2017 | 2016 | |
| Total | 27 | 13 |
| Inattentive driver | 6 | 4 |
| Seatbelt not used | 6 | 2 |
| Speeding | 2 | 5 |
| Alcohol/drug use | 2 | 7 |
*NOTE: In some instances, investigators identified multiple contributors to the cause of collisions
