THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay loves to complain about its drivers – but according to Allstate, they’re not as bad as most people like to think.
According to the insurance giant’s 2017 Safe Driving Study results, the city had the 29th fewest collision claims per 100 cars between 2015 and 2017, at 5.13 per cent.
That’s down from the most recent survey, where Thunder Bay checked in at 5.34 per cent, an eight per cent decrease from 2013 to 2015.
Thunder Bay is the 22nd safest city measured in Ontario.
Hanmer, Ont. had the distinction of the safest drivers, it’s claim rate per 100 drivers at just 3.65 per cent, slightly below Spruce Grove, Alta.’s 3.79 per cent.
The Ontario average was 6.04 per cent in the latest study, up 4.7 per cent.
“While it’s encouraging to see that a number of regions across Canada are showing a decrease in collision frequency, we find it troubling that our 2017 Safe Driving Study is showing an overall increase in collisions, especially as the most severe collisions are involving cyclists and pedestrians,” says David MacInnis, vice-president of product operations at Allstate Insurance Company of Canada in a release issued on Wednesday.
“These results show there is still a lot of work to be done to help reduce collisions, especially as we head into what is typically the most dangerous driving season of the year.”
The study also shows the date with the most collision claims in Ontario over the past six years was Feb. 12. It was Dec. 22 between 2006 and 2011. The safest day on Ontario roads was Christmas Day, the same as it was in the last study.
Nationwide, of the four provinces surveyed, Fridays were the most likely day for a collision, while February was the most likely month to get into a crash. Twenty-five per cent of all collisions involved someone being rear ended, while 21 per cent of all claims involved turning and intersections. Parked vehicles were involved in 18 per cent of claims.
In addition to Ontario and Alberta, collision statistics were also collected in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
The statistics show that Thursday is the day people are most likely to be involved in a head-on collision and Friday is when one is most at risk of being rear-ended.
