Ontario Drivers Show Slight Improvement, Allstate Canada Study Shows

Ontario's car collision rates analyzed in Allstate Canada's Ontario Safe Driving Study
Belleville ranked first in list of safest drivers, Brampton the bottom

TORONTO, Nov. 22 /CNW/ - Allstate Insurance Company of Canada released today its second annual Ontario Safe Driving Study, which ranks Ontario communities based on Allstate Canada data over a three year period (2007-2010). According to the study, Belleville had the lowest frequency of car collisions in all of Ontario, while Brampton had the highest among the 50 communities surveyed. In addition to Brampton (No. 50), the communities with the highest frequency of collisions were all within a 45 minute drive of Toronto: Ajax (No. 49), Maple (No. 48) and Thornhill (No. 47). Toronto (No. 46) itself ranked better than these nearby suburban communities. Overall, Ontario drivers had a 2.2 per cent decrease in the frequency of collisions between the 2009 Ontario Safe Driving Study and the study released in 2010.

"Allstate Canada's Ontario Safe Driving Study revealed a slight improvement in Ontario's drivers," said Tony Irwin, official spokesperson for Allstate Canada. "Governments should be asking themselves and the public what can be done in their communities to continue to improve the safety of our roads."

In last year's inaugural Ontario Safe Driving Study, which looked at Allstate Canada data from 2006-2009, St. Thomas placed as the safest driving community. In the 2010 Ontario Safe Driving Study, St. Thomas fell to number four on the list and also had a 33.8 per cent increase in the frequency of collisions—the largest increase of all ranked communities.

The Ontario Safe Driving Study ranks communities, as well as regions, in terms of car collision frequency to identify which communities have the safest drivers according to Allstate Canada data. The study spans a three-year period from 2007-2010 and also offers a comparison to the data from the 2009 study, which looked at results from 2006-2009.

Other highlights from Allstate Canada's 2010 Ontario Safe Driving Study:

• The two most improved communities in Ontario were Guelph and Georgetown. Guelph had a 19.4 per cent decrease in the rate of collisions and Georgetown saw a 12.4 per cent decrease. Innisfil and Thornhill, which both had a 10.8 per cent decrease in the rate of collisions, tied in third place for most improved.
• With the exception of Belleville, which had a 2.8 per cent frequency of collisions, the five communities with the lowest collision frequency in the 2010 Ontario Safe Driving Study were all in southwestern Ontario. The communities were Welland (3.1 per cent), Woodstock (3.2 per cent), St. Thomas (3.4 per cent) and Amherstburg (3.4 per cent).
• The three cities with the largest increases in the frequency of collisions between the studies conducted in 2009 and 2010 were St. Thomas (33.8 per cent), Bradford (25.6 per cent) and North Bay (10.4 per cent).

To see the complete 2010 Ontario Safe Driving Study visit
http://goodhandsadvice.ca/media/2010-ontario-safe-driving-study-results.pdf

To see graph highlights from the 2010 Ontario Safe Driving Study visit
http://goodhandsadvice.ca/media/safe-driving-charts.pdf

"We are pleased to see a decrease in the frequency of collisions throughout the province," said Irwin. "Even a small change can show that the importance of safe driving is resonating with drivers."

To encourage all drivers to use safe driving practices to keep our communities and roads safer, Allstate Canada offers some practical advice on how to get started. Click here for safe driving tips. Visit goodhandsadvice.ca for more information.

The Study

Allstate Canada conducted an in-depth analysis of company claim data to determine the average number of collisions per 100 cars in communities across Ontario. The study spans a three-year period from 2007-2010 and also offers a comparison to the data from the 2009 study, which looked at results from 2006-2009. To ensure the data provides a realistic outlook of what is happening on Ontario roadways, only communities with at least 300 cars insured by Allstate Canada per year for the duration of the three-year period were included in the study. Three-year periods were chosen to provide a larger sample for more meaningful analysis. The collision data used in this study tracks back to the registered car address.

Allstate Canada's Ontario Safe Driving Study is produced solely to boost discussion about safe driving and to increase awareness of the importance of being tolerant and attentive behind the wheel. The study is not used to determine auto insurance rates.

About Allstate Insurance Company of Canada

Allstate Insurance Company of Canada is one of Canada's leading producers and distributors of home and auto insurance products. "The Good Hands Network®" enables consumers to contact Allstate Canada through one of 93 community-based Agencies, directly online at www.allstate.ca and through the Customer Contact Centre at 1-800-Allstate. Allstate Canada is committed to making a positive difference in the communities in which it operates and has partnered with organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada), Crime Stoppers, United Way and Junior Achievement.

For further information:

For more information or to book an interview with Tony Irwin, Allstate Canada's official spokesperson, or to speak to a regional Allstate spokesperson please contact:

Media Contact:
Jennifer Fox
Thornley Fallis Communications
[phone], ext. 350
[email protected]